The Musée des communications et d’histoire de Sutton has launched a call for projects for its 2024 exhibition summer exhibition “Archives for the Future.” 

In collaboration with Héritage Sutton, the museum is calling on photographers and artists across Brome-Missisquoi to snap quality photographs of Sutton (including Abercorn) that will serve as archives for future generations.

According to the museum’s press release, up to five photography projects will be selected by a committee made up of a member of the Museum's Board, a member of Héritage Sutton, and “two people recognized for their sensitivity to the quality of the projects."

A production fee of $1,000 will be granted to each of the projects and, with the approval of the board of directors, the cost of the materials necessary for the exhibition of the photographs will be paid by the museum. 

It will be possible for the selected artists to sell their photos as a limited series. The deadline to submit project proposals is Feb. 15.

“In past years, we have touched on many subjects, like singers, painters, people from cinema, but we have never touched photography.” said Charles Constantin, president of the board of directors for the museum. “(…) We sat down with two renowned photographers in Sutton to develop this concept.” 

The museum then approached Héritage Sutton, whom also supported the idea of having a photography exhibition. 

“All the pictures will be transferred to Héritage Sutton at the end of the exhibition. This will be a part of their archives for the future,” noted Constantin. “In 30-50 years from now, if people are asking ‘oh, how was life in 2023-2024 in the Sutton area?’ We will have all of the answers in the archives.”

As part of the exhibition, which will open to the public in June 2024, Héritage Sutton will be providing archival photos of Sutton in the past. 

“We will select some pictures from Héritage Sutton maybe from 50, 60, 100 years ago. We will incorporate that in the exhibition at the same time. It will be kind of a look at the past, today, but we will have archives for the future at the same time,” mentioned Constantin. 

In terms of what areas of Sutton the museum wants artists to focus on, Constantin said the choice is their’s. 

“In the objectives, we want them to consider all parts of Sutton. (…) We talk a lot about the centre of town, we talk about the ski hill, but there are many, many parts of Sutton which are forgotten, like Glen Sutton, Sutton Junction, North Sutton,” he explained. “We want them to take that into consideration to give some space to all of the areas of Sutton. After that, we give them the ‘carte-blanche’ to come up with a project.”

Artists also have the freedom to choose the theme for their project.

“It can be about lifestyle, architecture, it can be about community life. All of the projects we select will have a different view of Sutton because society is evolving, it’s changing. It’s not the same Sutton as 50 years ago,” highlighted Constantin. 

“Archives for the Future” is just one of many exhibitions that the museum puts on for the community. There is a new exhibition every year that runs from June to October with the hopes of getting more people engaged in their local museum. 

“We have noticed in the past five or six years local people they don’t visit the museum anymore because they have visited it once or twice in their life. We realize we need to increase the interest in their own museum because this museum belongs to the community,” emphasized Constantin. “(…) That’s the objective for the next few years.”

For more information on the “Archives for the Future” exhibition and/or to submit a proposal visit the museum’s website.

Listen to the full interview below: