Guelph selects three artists for 2023 residency

Three local artists are going to have their work on display around Guelph.

The city announced its 2023 Artists in Residence. Miki Tamblyn, James Gordon, and Jude Akrey were selected to “create and present engaging community art experiences for the program’s 10th anniversary.”

Tamblyn is a graduate of the University of Guelph’s wildlife biology and conservation program. He created an interactive exhibit called Animal Forms, a mask-making and meditation project about shapeshifting, playing, and empathy between species.

Gordon is a singer-songwriter, producer, playwright, and theatre director. His project Rhyme Capsules: Guelph’s Tale told in Story and Song will capture real stories from local seniors of diverse backgrounds through facilitated workshops, and shape them into songs, poems, or spoken word.

Akrey is also a graduate of U of G with a BA in Studio Art. From One Queer to Another sees Akrey assemble LGBTQ2 artists from Guelph to host a series of facilitated arts-based skills workshops, an artist talk, a drop-in sharing event, and a public exhibition that celebrates the diversity of queer arts practices.

There were 46 submissions that were reviewed by the city’s Public Art Advisory Committee.

Tammy Adkin, Guelph’s manager of museum and culture, says the city received more expressions of interest than before and was impressed with the range of proposals that represent a wide diversity of perspectives and artistic practices.

The work of the three selected artists will be on display during Culture Days from Sept. 22 to Oct. 15.