Vacant properties in downtown Victoria are getting an esthetic boost from emerging artists, beginning with two pop-up art works installed Wednesday.
The works were installed at 1312 Douglas St., between Yates and Johnson, as part of a partnership between the Downtown Victoria Business Association and the Vancouver Island School of Art.
About 25 other ground-level properties have been identified as potential hosts of 39 art pieces by students and recent graduates of the arts school, said DVBA general manager Ken Kelly. The art will pop up through the end of September.
“The vacancies that exist downtown are not unique to the downtown. They exist throughout the community and throughout North America,” Kelly said. “This is simply one of the cycles that our economy is going through and this is intended to animate and bring our downtown streets to life with some wonderful art.”
The announcement comes three weeks after two local artists declared nearly identical plans.
On July 18, photographer Jill Fitz Hirschbold and painter Guillermo Mier launched CollAboRaTion, a project to fill would-be empty downtown locations with flash art exhibitions. They held their first show at Dales Gallery, which would have been empty otherwise, through July 28.
But where CollAboRaTion had sales as a built-in part of the plan (50 per cent to the artist, 25 per cent to the landowner and 25 per cent to the organizer), the DVBA’s pop-up art project is primarily concerned with display.
At the same time, the artist’s contact information will be posted with each work, and if a sale is made, the artist will keep 100 per cent of the profits, according to Kelly.
Kelly said the DVBA’s project was well underway when they learned of CollAboRaTion.
“I haven’t had the opportunity of speaking with those individuals, but hats off to them. It’s all about celebrating the culture of our community and where we can best exhibit that,” he said.
Art school executive director Wendy Welch called the pop-up art project a good opportunity to bring more contemporary art into the downtown core.
“We have a few art galleries, but you don’t get to see a lot of contemporary art [downtown],” she said. “So this is a really great opportunity for people just to see art in the streets.”
She selected 15 artists from 45 applicants who responded to her call through the school. They represent a variety of styles, from abstract to representational art.
Welch saw the pop-up art project as an opportunity for emerging artists to gain exposure, which can be difficult when you’re entering the field.
“It’s pretty difficult in Victoria, in particular. There’s not a lot of venues,” she said.
Bob Cross, who owns the property hosting the first two artworks by Kathleen Lane and Linda Peters, said the space has been vacant for two months. While three parties have expressed interest in renting it, Cross, a former mayor of Victoria, said he hoped to draw more interest with the art.
“I think it brings out a different aspect, a different side of our society and creates a little interest, rather than just having a few signs in the window,” he said.
Realtor Graham Smith agreed the art could add interest to vacant spaces in a way that for-lease signage may not.
“Anything that draws attention to the downtown shows vibrancy, shows something interesting and unique is going to help us draw tenants to the core,” Smith said.
The DVBA is planning to unveil a pop-up retail program to follow the art program in the fall.
A map of the pop-up art locations will be posted at downtownvictoria.ca once all of the art is installed, which is expected to occur within 10 days.