Quest launches call for artists to celebrate region's tri-cultural heritage

Quest Art School + Gallery's new initiative will celebrate the region’s First Nations, francophone and anglophone roots

Quest Art School + Gallery hopes a new initiative will celebrate the region’s First Nations, francophone and anglophone roots.

“The organization has just launched an open call for submissions for Tri-Culture Art, an upcoming exhibition (March 8–May 8) that will celebrate Simcoe County’s rich Indigenous, French and English heritage through three large-scale, 2D installations created by local artists,” says Stephanie Rumball, a communications consultant for the Midland-based gallery. Proposals for the Tri-Culture Art project can be submitted until December 15.

According to Rumball, the gallery wants to recognize through art a region that’s home to one of the country’s best areas to celebrate a mix of cultures, languages and history.

“Each selected artist will receive an honorarium and have their work featured in Quest’s Mezzanine Gallery at the Midland Cultural Centre,” Rumball says.

The Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabek and French populations each share a deep connection to this land, according to Quest, which notes that the arrival of English settlers played a pivotal role in shaping the community’s development.

Tri-Culture Art aims to honour these intersecting narratives through contemporary visual storytelling that reflects both individual and collective identity.

Submissions will be reviewed by a selection committee of arts professionals and community members, who will evaluate proposals based on concept, craftsmanship, feasibility and use of space.

Quest's new curator, Sarah Hancock, says the initiative is an invitation to reflect on "what connects us here—on this land and in this community."

"We’re seeking contemporary visual storytelling that marries lived experience with cultural expression. The goal is to hold space for works that are respectful, resonant and future-focused.”

Adds Rumball: “This project was made possible through the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) Grow Grant, which is helping Quest expand community-based arts opportunities across the region.”

Full details and submission requirements for Tri-Culture Art can be found here. Questions regarding the open call and the exhibition may be directed to Hancock at programmer@questart.ca or (705) 529-3355.

Feature Courtesy of Andrew Phillips

For Midland Today