Bill Passed Creating Canada’s First Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate
Source: June 25, 2024 : galleriesWest Magazine
The Canadian government has passed Bill S-202. The new act will create Canada’s first parliamentary visual artist laureate.
The bill was sponsored by Patricia Bovey, former senator and former director of the Winnipeg Art Gallery, author and Galleries West contributor.
“The objective of Bill S-202 is to create the parliamentary visual artist laureate as an officer of the Library of Parliament,” said Senator Andrew Cardozo this week. “This position would be complementary to the already existing parliamentary poet laureate and would use the same model.”
The visual artist laureate position will be a two-year term, with a mandate to promote, foster, develop and bring awareness to the visual arts in Canada. The visual arts laureate will produce art or “cause to be produced artistic creations at the request of the Speaker, especially for use in Parliament on occasions of state,” as well as sponsor artistic events, including exhibitions, and give advice on the collection and acquisitions for the Library of Parliament.
2024 is finally the year that this initiative has been adopted.
Court Painter’s name has surfaced in many quarters particularly among the chattering cultural busy bodies and those in the know. Many point out his outstanding past renderings of political figures who continue to haunt the hallowed hollows of Parliment Hill.
The nomination of Court Painter is not a given now that the legislation has passed however once parliamentarians become aware of Court Painter’s reputation it would indubitably lead to a heavily lobbied quick decision and an offer of the appointment!
There is reportedly however a deal breaker: the absence of a life time appointment of the visual artist laureate threatens any consideration of acceptance by the preminent Great Dominion portrait painter of the peccadilloes, posturing and pulchritudinous poverty of the political class; according to a recent communique issued by the Court Painter studio. Sad so sad!
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