Kensington region seeks artwork to show just how big its 'heart' is
Heart of P.E.I. initiative seeking up to 10 works of art to promote wider region
The Kensington region, which bills itself as The Heart of P.E.I., is commissioning up to 10 new pieces of art in hopes of showcasing the area.
Artists can now submit proposals and suggest a location, said Don Quarles, volunteer chair of the Heart of P.E.I. initiative, which is led by the Kensington and Area Chamber of Commerce.
The first phase of the art project focused on the rail yards in Kensington, including a 2.4-metre iron fiddle created by Malpeque Fine Iron Products. It was unveiled in May.
The call for proposals now is an attempt to broaden the focus to the entire region.
"Because the Kensington and area catchment area is quite broad — it runs all the way from Malpeque, Freetown, to Stanley Bridge and everywhere in between — there's a whole bunch of communities that are in between that seem to get lost in the shuffle."
The criteria for the art includes being "tied into" the fiddle at the rail yards and being able to withstand the weather.
WATCH | Two brand-new art installations unveiled at the Kensington Rail Yards in May:
The budget for each piece is $1,000, and Quarles said they hope to have the selected pieces installed by April.
"It's very possible that we may see some of these installations done prior to the snow flying," he said.
The deadline for proposals is noon on Aug. 31.