Local artists invited to submit ideas for Regional Climatic Art Piece

Southern Downs Regional Council is inviting artists across South East Queensland to submit portfolios for consideration, by designing an iconic Climatic Art Piece.
The project (formerly known as the Big Thermometer) has been a long-time goal of the Stanthorpe community.
The strategy, developed by specialists Urban Art Projects (UAP), is now complete and the project has reached the pivotal design stage.
Southern Downs Regional Council economic development officer Sarah Reeves said, “SDRC is keen to hear from local artists who may be interested in submitting Expressions of Interest. UAP will work to assist regional artists with professional development.
“This will include ‘dressing up’ portfolios so that local submissions are not disadvantaged in any way.  UAP has a complete team of design engineers who will assist with the technical aspects of the final design.”
The council is supporting this next stage and will commission three artists to develop designs.
The artists will be selected by a panel of representatives from state departments, Southern Downs Regional Council, the Stanthorpe Chamber of Commerce, Granite Belt Wine & Tourism, the Stanthorpe Art Gallery, local artists and representatives from the agricultural and wine industries.
The final three designs will be voted on by the community.
“The community response to the project has been loud and clear; they are highly supportive of an iconic art piece along, or on, Quart Pot Creek and they would like to see it represent Stanthorpe as the coldest place in Queensland, with four distinct seasons, is responsive to the environment and incorporates local material,” Ms Reeves said.
“The survey results were strong, with 82 per cent of respondents in favour of the art piece and it was heartening to read the descriptions of what Stanthorpe means to the community,” she said.
“Over half think it is very important that the art piece represents our four seasons (60 per cent), our significance as the coldest place in Queensland (59.8 per cent) and our strength as an agriculture and wine region.
“Over half also thought it was very important that the art piece be iconic (50.4 per cent), responsive to the environment (57.3 per cent) and incorporates local material (52.3 per cent).
“The Department of Education, Economic Development and Innovation is working with SDRC to submit a Stream One application to Art+Place, allowing us to apply for 100 per cent funding of between $400,000 and $2 million, which we hope to have complete by September of this year.
“The project has reached a whole new level of excitement and it is great to have such wide support from community organisations,” she said.
Anyone who is interested is encouraged to submit their portfolios, CVs and photographs of previous work to the Economic Development Unit, PO Box 26, Warwick 4370 or by emailing sarah.reeves@southerndowns.qld.gov.au