Partnership and community building are at the heart of the City of Lethbridge's latest public realm improvement project to promote Blackfoot language and culture.
Together with community partners Primaris (Park Place Mall), the Galt Museum & Archives, the Lethbridge Public Library, The University of Lethbridge, and Lethbridge Agri-Food Hub & Trade Centre and the Allied Arts Council, the project will look to select six individual designs to be wrapped on pre-fabricated OKI signs.
In 2019, the City of Lethbridge Heart of Our City Committee and the Reconciliation Lethbridge Advisory Committee partnered to develop an OKI Sign as part of the celebration of 2019 as the United Nations International Year of Indigenous Languages and the adoption of Oki as the official greeting of the City of Lethbridge. Since 2019, the City's two OKI Signs have been seen throughout the community at special events and celebrations.
The purpose of this initiative is to celebrate Blackfoot culture and language across the community and to celebrate the important role that "Oki" has come to play in our community as a symbol of respect, understanding and reconciliation – and the hallmark of Sikóóhkotok (Lethbridge).
This competition is open to Indigenous artists of all ages, at all levels of their artistic practice. Preference will be given to Indigenous artists with a distinct connection to Blackfoot Territory.
For details and to submit your expression of interest, please head to publicart.ca/currentcalls.
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