Art from town to town

Huron County has a long history of public art pieces to commemorate events and complement downtown cores, from cairns and statuary throughout the region to the famed Allan Hilgendorf murals that graced many of the downtown cores.

Public art allows the community the opportunity to tell its story to both residents and visitors in a striking format. Whether the story is an event or a theme, a bold and emblazoned artistic representation in a high traffic area is a great way to engage and inform the public about the best elements of the community. The best pieces will surprise and delight the viewer, while engaging them with stories that the community wants to share.

With all of this in mind, Rick Sickinger, Huron County’s Economic Development Officer, Tourism Sector Support, began a project to revitalize the appreciation of public art in the county. Once some federal tourism funding had been secured, and five communities identified, the project began to gain some momentum. An expression of interest call was sent out, which resulted in a list of approximately 30 mural artists in the region.

Exeter, Clinton, Seaforth, Wingham and Bayfield all formed local committees to begin their journey to a new mural. Although the County of Huron was contracting the final murals from the artists, the local communities held the decision making power to ensure that the art

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