Public Art
The City initiated an exciting and inclusive Olympic and Paralympic Public Art Program to commission public works of art that reveal, surprise, challenge and celebrate Vancouver and the 2010 Winter Games.
The program aimed to foster works of art that expressed the spirit, values, visions, and poetry of place that collectively defines Vancouver. The artists were chosen from around the world with many of them from Vancouver. In some cases, this was the first time many of the artists were commissioned to publicly display their art work in their home city.
Legacy Sites
As part of the legacy component of its Olympic and Paralympic Public Art Program, the City commissioned a collection of light-based artworks and sculptural installations to animate 2010 Winter Games venues and locations around the city. All of the works are permanent installations with the exception of the Walk In/Here You Are, which was for all of 2010. City Hall, itself, had it's floodlights replaced with "Ice Light" by renowned German artist Gunda Förster, improving our energy use by 30 per cent.
Partner projects
The City collaborated with the Vancouver Art Gallery and Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad on three spectacular public art projects that showcased local, national and international artists.
Bright Lights
Bright Lights brought together 14 arts organizations active in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside to create outdoor performances, video projections, urban planning demonstrations, social events and a parade in the neighbourhood around the Carrall Street Greenway before and during the 2010 Winter Games.
Mapping and Marking Vancouver 2010
Artists with a strong connection to Vancouver submitted their own ideas for public art at sites of their own choosing within the city that celebrated, mapped and marked Vancouver during the 2010 Winter Games. Eight projects were commissioned with three permanent works remaining.
