A new Cultural Alliance project hopes to bring honour and recognition to important community members through art.
The Inspirational Peoples Project looks to celebrate the contributions that people have made to their communities, said Clayton King, Beausoleil First Nation's heritage and culture coordinator.
"It's something we wanted to do to celebrate those ones who inspire others to do good in the community...to help honour and respect those legacies," he said.
The project nominations opened a couple weeks ago and close on Sept. 4.
"Two members from each community will be selected by nomination and will have their image portrayed on a banner," said King. "And the individual will have their name, occupation, and speciality as well on the banner. It will have two images, one on each side, and will be displayed in the respective communities."
As well, he said, a plaque bearing the name and biography of the successful nominees will be displayed inside a community building, such as town hall, band office, a culture centre, or library in their community.
The nominees can come from any background and profession, such as visual artist, musician, actor/actress, scientist, archeologist, politician, reporter, business owner, philanthropist, or volunteer.
Nominators can access the application online and email it to King at [email protected]. He can also be reached by phone (705) 500-3480 if a nominator wants to have the application hand delivered.
The nomination should include a biography with the nomination form and a photograph or an artistic image, said King, adding the nominees can be both alive and nominated posthumously.
"Just as long as they had inspired and made a difference in the community," he said. "One of the things is to really highlight and honour those individuals who have made a difference in the growth of the community and have inspired people people to achieve their goals and in shaping their lives. We all have things we want to do when we're young, so these are people that may have influenced you as you were growing up."
Once all nominations have been received, a selection committee will review the submissions and make selections, King said, adding he has received submissions since the call first went out but wanted to keep the numbers under wraps.
A second part of the project is the selection of (preferrably) local artists who will be hired to produce the images on the banners, he said.
Submissions for that role can also be made online.
The project was inspired by a similar one in St. Catherines, King said.
"(It) is one of the several initiatives that the Cultural Alliance has been contirbuting to the area," he said. "It was developed by the heritage sub-committee and it is one creative idea that will help spread the culture and heritage of North Simcoe and the traditional territory of Beausoleil First Nation and the Chippewa Tri-Council."
King said he hoped this would turn into an annual event.
"It's one of many projects that highlights the different people in the area who have devoted their lives to making a difference," he said. "The committee of Cultural Alliance and the sub-committees are doing their best to move forward in the area and help promote our creatives and inspirational peoples."
