New Murals to Celebrate Urban & Rural Life in Downtown Simcoe
Andrew Gunn, Maddie King, and Hayden Miller-Cluckie of Andrew Gunn Consulting and young & free press have been working with the Downtown Simcoe BIA since fall 2019 to connect with local residents, business owners, and nearby farmers to formulate a vision of how to activate the downtown core. Our team is excited to introduce the new ‘Celebrate Simcoe’ mural project in collaboration with some amazing local partners.
Artists are set to begin transforming downtown Simcoe with a new series of vibrant murals that celebrate the distinctive intersection of urban and rural life in Norfolk County. Coordinated by the Downtown Simcoe BIA and curated by Andrew Gunn Consulting and young & free press in collaboration with local partners, three murals are planned for the downtown area in the coming months with plans to expand the project around the community.
Riversyde 83 on Sydenham Street is where the excitement will begin. Artist Meaghan Claire Kehoe will be painting a spectacular new mural along the south side of the building in the early spring. Additionally, there is a call for artists (details here) that invites submissions from artists interested in painting a free-flowing mural in a 220 square foot space on the north wall of the building. Artists from Norfolk County are strongly encouraged to submit designs! Riversyde 83 is a new food and community hub set to open this summer. With this new artwork, the site will instantly become one of the cultural attractions of downtown Simcoe.
Another location will be at 4 Peel Street, one of two properties on the block owned by Susan Judd and Tom Heeman. The exterior wall of the second floor will be transformed with another mural by Meaghan Claire Kehoe, complementing her first piece at the Riversyde 83 site. This section of Peel Street will see new businesses and residents in the coming years, and the artwork will add depth and beauty to the streetscape.
To give a hint of the potential of the next wave of artwork, internationally-acclaimed artist Andrew Lewis has been engaged to design a massive new mural on the west wall of The Brick department store. This new work of art would cover approximately 1500 square feet and serve as a true landmark for both downtown Simcoe and Norfolk County. (Editor’s note: the location of this mural was first announced as the south wall of 85 Norfolk Street South, but subsequently was shifted to The Brick location).
Supporters of the ‘Celebrate Simcoe’ mural project include Norfolk County (through the RRRF program), Norfolk Community Foundation (Doug and Starr Demeyere Legacy Fund), Schuyler Farms, Norfolk Fruit Growers’ Association, Proplant Propagation Services Ltd., Mike McArthur, Dave Pond, EZ Grow Farms, Susan Judd and Tom Heeman, Andrew Gunn Consulting and young & free press, and the Downtown Simcoe BIA. Members of the community interested in getting involved in the project are encouraged to reach out to Andrew Gunn at the email address or phone number listed below.
For additional information, please contact:
Andrew Gunn
e. gunn@andrewgunnconsulting.ca
c. 519.709.5227
Notes on the Downtown Simcoe BIA
We have a passion for community, collaboration, and thriving local businesses. Our goal is to unlock the endless potential of downtown Simcoe by uniting property owners, tenants and members of the community around the belief that the urban core is an awesome place to live, work and play. We want everyone to be increasingly proud of downtown Simcoe.
Notes on Andrew Gunn Consulting and young & free press
Andrew Gunn Consulting focusses on connecting private and public sector partners to support community projects that transform the culture of urban and rural areas in southwestern Ontario. We specialize in impact philanthropy by building relationships with private business owners and individuals who are dedicated to enhancing the cultural atmosphere of the region. Our in-house media outlet, young & free press, features teenagers who report on local news and events, contribute ideas for new projects, and then share all the stories continuously on social media. Recent public art initiatives include the $300,000 ‘Track to the Future’ mural project ongoing in downtown St. Thomas, as well as the ‘Forest City Playground’ murals in downtown London. Check out our Instagram page here.
