Barrie embarks on large-scale public art exhibition in 2024

The City of Barrie is working with curator Katie Lawson on the Seeds to Sow exhibition.

A growing art scene is about to expand in Barrie.

Barrie's Seeds to Sow exhibition, will feature six installations of site-specific artwork that will complement the public art scene developing throughout the downtown core and within other neighbourhoods.

The city of Barrie, with support from the Barrie Public Art Committee (BPAC), is embarking on an exhibition of public art that will be hosted from Sept. 27 to Nov. 2024.

"Fostering growth in arts and culture is one of council's key priorities and plays a direct role in strengthening Barrie's economy," said Mayor Alex Nuttall

"This public art exhibition is an opportunity to enhance our public spaces, attract new audiences to Barrie and continue to build a thriving community."

In May 2023, council directed city staff to pursue an outdoor temporary public art exhibition in 2024. The intent of the exhibition is to showcase Barrie as an arts and cultural destination and strengthen the economy and community through talent attraction, tourism, and downtown development.

"Contemporary public art at this scale will elevate Barrie's role as an arts and culture destination, enhance the experience of Barrie's outdoor spaces, and drive interest and positive engagement from residents and visitors to Barrie," said Stephannie Schlichter, director of Invest Barrie.

"It will continue to put Barrie on the map, contributing to talent attraction and retention, economic strength and cultivating a strong community in support of the arts," said Schlichter.

Barrie is working with independent curator Katie Lawson on the Seeds to Sow exhibition. Lawson was a curator for the Toronto Biennial of Art in 2019 and 2022. She has also curated exhibitions at Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery (2024); Images Festival, Toronto (2023); MacLaren Art Centre, Barrie (2021); the Art Museum at the University of Toronto (2018); the Art Gallery of Ontario (2018); Y+ Contemporary, Scarborough (2017); and RYMD, Reykjavik (2017).

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"My experience working in Barrie as a guest curator for an exhibition at the MacLaren in 2021 sparked my curiosity about the city itself," Lawson said. "I am grateful to have the opportunity to return and now spend more time engaging with Barrie, this time through working to develop contemporary art projects for public spaces."

The selected artists will include two from the Barrie area and four from locations across Canada. There will be an open call for regional artists later in 2023.

For more information and updates as the exhibition progresses, visit Seeds to Sow.