“Art should be accessible to everyone.”
Papergirl hits the streets of Calgary this month, which gives you the chance to score some notable free art if you happen to be in the right place at the right time. Originally from Berlin, this very cool art distribution program is definitely worth checking out in the city.
So, what’s the gist? Papergirl is a project that seeks to make art accessible to people by bringing it from the institution and onto the street. Artists are encouraged to submit their works to Papergirl and you just never know what you might be receiving. Submissions have included 2D kaleidoscopes of cats with laser beams to open love letters to strangers. The artwork that is collected is displayed in the EPCOR Centre and then rolled up and strapped to bicycles of volunteers once the exhibition is over. The papergirl volunteers then hit the streets of Calgary to give away art to unsuspecting citizens.
Sunshine Frere, who’s behind Papergirl Calgary, took a few minutes to tell us a little bit more about the project:
What was your inspiration for getting involved with papergirl?
I originally heard about Papergirl when I submitted art to Papergirl Vancouver. The art of giving art fit in with the type of art that I am interested in, so once I submitted I was hooked. I was on the committee for Papergirl Vancouver the following year and, after careful consideration, I thought this project is screaming ‘CALGARY’. People there would love it, and artists there would love it even more.
My hunch was right. I started Papergirl Calgary last year, and the response was overwhelming. From great press pick up, to all of the 130+ participating artists and the 300+ art recipients, everyone was a HUGE fan of the project. Hence why I am doing it all over again this year. This project isn’t possible without great support. I have three awesome committee members who keep the momentum of the project going: Jasmine Retzer, who helps us to create amazing events and workshops, Tryphena Fric, who is very talented in writing, logistics and presenting Papergirl to the world, and Erin Reardon, who assists with pretty much anything we throw at her. These three are a major Papergirl trifecta ‘Tour de Force’. Thanks, ladies!
What’s involved in the “Giftervention?”
Well we usually have 20+ cyclists who come into the Arts Learning Centre in the morning and prepare their bikes. We will be running Papergirl workshops throughout the week where we create amazing bike bling for the cyclists to decorate their bikes. From giant flowers to retro cassette-tape-handlebar-tassels, they will have a plethora of things to make their bikes and their person look like a rock’n’rolla’ papergirl (or boy). Once everyone is properly geared up, and we have reviewed the bike route, we load up our baskets and backpacks with Papergirl artwork and then we hit the streets. We cycle up to folks and tell them that we would like to gift them with a work of art, and voila, the cycle repeats itself until all work has been given. It usually takes 2-3 hours, and is a hoot as we all travel together.
How do you select the recipients?
At random. We have a secret bike route planned but the work is given to whomever we come across in the streets. There are as many reactions as there are numbers of artwork that we give away. It’s fabulous.
How many papergirls/paperboys are involved?
We are hoping to have upwards of 25 this year so we can maybe divide into two different groups and spread the Papergirl love to more areas of the city. We are flood-focused this year, hoping to distribute art in areas that were affected by the floods so folks will have new art for their walls after the clean-up and re-build.
Do you have anything that you want to add about bringing art from the gallery to the street?
I do, indeed, thanks for asking.
Every once in a while someone asks a question about why artists who contribute to Papergirl aren’t remunerated fiscally. To which I reply: “To me, Papergirl is very much about removing the fiscal economy of art from the equation.” Artists are rewarded in other ways in this project. They receive exposure, they become part of a collaborative community and network of likeminded artists, and they also are provided with a chance encounter of many new people discovering their art.
Papergirl is all about the notion of a ‘gift’ and how creativity is very much a gift to our collective creative commons. I sincerely feel that for art to remain critical, we very much need to question this constant assumption that creativity should be paid for at all times. There are many artists, musicians and even scientists, doctors and inventors, who were and are more interested in their ideas making their way into the world for the benefit of society as a whole; this project is very much of that spirit. I like this project because it is a challenge to what art is or should be. Is the value of the artwork in the object? In the artists’ credentials? Or is it in the eye of the beholder? All of these questions are critical and relevant. I particularly enjoy the fact that this question comes up, because to me that means that Papergirl is challenging many people in many different ways, and I love art that is challenging.
To find out more about Papergirl Calgary or the Giftervention (August 18th), click here.
There is also, of course, a much longer list of volunteers who have also contributed to the project, I want to extend my thanks and gratitude to all of them, as well as all of the artists for their spectacular gifts of art. The project also has wheels thanks to its partner EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts, and great initiatives like INVESTYYC, and the Take Action Grant.