Edmonton artists win national award for childhood imagination-focused public art

"A Mischief of Could Be(s)" by Erin Pankratz & Christian Pérès Gibaut // 2021 in Churchill Square.(Source: EAC)

Two companion sculptures in the downtown core of Edmonton are getting national recognition for their significance in child-conscious public art.

The Creative City Network’s Legacy Award is meant to highlight “the power of public art to enhance connections between people, place and culture,” said a media release from the Edmonton Arts Council (EAC) on Tuesday.

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This year, Red Knot Studio’s A Mischief of Could Be(s) and UGO won. Both are companion art installments by artists Erin Pankratz and Christian Pérès Gibaut.

The structures were created as the first child-friendly and child-focused public art projects based on the city’s Child-Friendly Initiative.

“Both pieces grew from the imaginations of children and the spirit of play, extending an invitation for people of all ages to engage their own creativity,” Pankratz said in the release.

The EAC noted the artwork has set the precedent for “multi-generational friendly spaces” part of a selection criteria for new public art.

On Saturday, the EAC will host a commemoration of both pieces between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. at Churchill Square and Centennial Park, where the sculptures are located.

Mayor Amarjeet Sohi is set to be there for a “special proclamation from the City of Edmonton.”

Live music, food and roving circus performers are also set to be at the celebration. More information can be found on the EAC website.