Belmont Art Association Seeks Designs for “Transforming Belmont” Public Art Project 2023
Local artists over age 18 are invited to submit designs to create artwork for four of the town’s utility boxes, used to control traffic signals. Winning artists will be responsible for painting their assigned box.
The “Transforming Belmont” Public Art Project is a venture initiated and managed by the Belmont Art Association, a local nonprofit organization championing art and artists in the Belmont area, in cooperation with and approved by the Town of Belmont. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Belmont Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. This program has also been previously supported by the generosity of local realtor Anne Mahon and Belmont Wheelworks. This year a box will be painted thanks to memorial donations by friends and family of artist Russell C. Badessa.
Traffic light control boxes (“Transformer Boxes”) are located at busy intersections and crosswalks throughout Belmont. Painting these drab utility boxes brings art out of museums and studios and into public view; beautifies our environment; adds interest to our commutes and walks; and provides opportunities for members of the community to create. To date, twelve boxes have been painted, shown below:
2022 Transformer Boxes
2021 Transformer Boxes
2020 Transformer Boxes
INFORMATION
Timeline
Applications Available: Thursday, March 23, 2023
Deadline for Submissions: Friday, April 21, 2023
Design Selection and Approval: Sunday, April 30, 2023
Painting: May 1 – August 25, 2023
Eligibility
Open to local artists over 18, working independently or as a team. Up to four designs per artist or team may be submitted for consideration by the Selection Committee.
Design Guidelines
Artists should use the provided template to scale their designs. If necessary, artists can indicate individual panels and the roof of the box separately instead of fitting them into the template. *There is some variation in box size and top configuration, so artists may need to modify their designs once they are assigned a specific box to paint. Designs must be submitted using the actual colors and designs the artists plan to use. The Selection Committee must be able to visualize the final appearance of the entire box. Artists may specify which box they envision for each submitted design, but location is ultimately up to the Selection Committee. Entries should use bold colors and designs easily visible from a distance. All sides, including the tops of the boxes, must be included in the designs. *Any round meter on the side of a box must not be painted, but the area around it should be included in the design. All concepts must be original and suitable for viewing by all ages. In addition to design submissions, artists must demonstrate their ability to carry out their proposals by sending supporting images or links to their other work with their application.
Design Inspiration
This year, all four utility boxes are near schools. Designs should bear this in mind, along with Belmont’s concerns over the environment and climate change. With permission of the artist, Barney Levitt, here is his painting Skyward Dreams offered as inspiration. *Do Not Copy This Artwork!
SELECTION PROCESS
The Town of Belmont has designated which utility boxes will be painted. The Selection Committee will determine which designs will be used and assign boxes to winning artists. The Selection Committee is comprised of Co-Chairs of the Belmont Art Association, Co-Directors of the Belmont Gallery of Art, and Belmont’s Town Administrator. Criteria used to select artists will be based on demonstrated technical ability and artistic merit, along with appropriate regard for the nature of the space and the audience. The art should enliven the area, beautify the street, and reflect positively on the neighborhood where box is located.
ARTIST’S STIPEND
Four selected artists (or teams) will each be awarded a stipend of $500.00 to execute the painted design on the assigned transformer box. These funds must be used to purchase the specific materials listed below. Winning artists will receive a check upon full completion of their project.
ARTIST RESPONSIBILITIES, REQUIRED MATERIALS, AND INSTRUCTIONS
Artists must follow the design approved by the Selection Committee for their assigned utility box. Artist(s) will prepare the surface by sanding, cleaning, and priming thoroughly with two coats of thinned gesso and then an opaque coat of background color below the layer of the design. The background should not be pure white, since it tends to yellow over time. Note: Paint markers should only be used sparingly; they have been problematic. Paint should be high quality, lightfast exterior acrylics, with the finished artwork protected by an isolation coat of clear acrylic gloss medium, and finally by a layer of Sherwin-Williams Anti-Graffiti Coating. All sides, including the tops of the boxes, must be painted (a stepladder will probably be required). Artist(s) should sign their boxes and must credit the Belmont Art Association and sponsorship by either Belmont Cultural Council or Friends and Family of Russell C. Badessa, depending on location. The same acknowledgment should be on all online and printed PR materials as well. Boxes should be completed by August 25, 2023.
Box Locations
Download the Documents
Here are the links for all the documents you need to submit an entry:
TransformingBelmont-2023-Call-for-Entries
TransformingBelmont-2023-EntryForm
TransformingBelmont-2023-UtilityBoxDesignTemplate
Sponsorships
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Belmont Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
This program is also supported in part by the generosity of Friends and Family of Russell C. Badessa.
NOTE: The artwork will be a long-term installation and will become the property of the Town of Belmont.