Gatineau approves art subsidy for Old Aylmer sidewalks

During its public meeting on March 16, Gatineau’s municipal council gave their approval to dedicate $8,300 towards the creation of sidewalk art in Old Aylmer. Financed from Aylmer district councillor Audrey Bureau’s discretionary fund, the project is all about adding colour and culture to rue Principale during the summer and supporting local artists in their work. “Having public art in Old Aylmer is hugely important,” Bureau said. “I think of it as an area that is very much based on culture and artistic presence.”

Implemented last year as a means of brightening people’s spirits during the pandemic, Bureau said that bringing back sidewalk art for another year was a no-brainer. Local artists should begin painting the sidewalks in the coming weeks, she said. According to the city, the project will be spearheaded by the Arts visuals de Gatineau.

In the future, Bureau said she would love to see residents who own property in Old Aylmer express interest in hiring artists to paint murals on local buildings or for more permanent projects than sidewalk art. “The disadvantage of sidewalk art is that every spring we need to recreate the artistic piece,” Bureau said. “I invite anybody interested in getting art on their building to contact me so we can get it done with the city. There are more and more buildings in the city where we want art and the city wants to receive more initiatives from the community to put art on buildings.”