Belmont Art Association Seeks Designs for “Transforming Belmont 2024” Public Art Project
Local artists over age 18 are invited to submit designs to create artwork for three of the town’s utility boxes, used to control traffic signals. Winning artists will be responsible for painting their assigned box.
The “Transforming Belmont 2024” 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, Belmont Wheelworks, and memorial donations by friends and family of Belmont 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, seventeen boxes have been painted (one a redo), shown below:
2023 Transformer Boxes
2022 Transformer Boxes
2021 Transformer Boxes
2020 Transformer Boxes
INFORMATION – Transforming Belmont 2024
Timeline
Applications Available: Friday, April 12, 2024
Deadline for Submissions: Friday, May 10, 2024
Design Selection and Approval: Sunday, May 19, 2024
Painting: May 20 – August 28, 2024
Eligibility
Open to local artists over 18, working independently or as a team. Up to three 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 a lot of variation in utility box size, 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
Design themes this year should be uplifting and incorporate some reference to environmental or conservation concerns that relate specifically to Belmont, such as preservation of and access to open space and woodlands, the importance of native plants, habitats, and biodiversity, water quality, etc.
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. This year the Selection Committee is comprised of the Co-Chairs of the Belmont Art Association, the instructor of Belmont High School’s Advanced Placement Program in Studio Art, and Belmont’s Town Administrator. Criteria used to select artists will be based on demonstrated technical ability and artistic merit. The art should enliven and beautify the location.
Artist’s Stipend
Three 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. Awarded artists will receive a check upon documented 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. Artists must document their process with on-site photos. 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 or equivalent. All sides, including the tops of the boxes, must be painted (a stepladder will be required). Artist(s) should sign their boxes and must credit sponsors the Belmont Art Association and the Belmont Cultural Council. The same acknowledgment should be on all online and printed PR materials. Boxes should be completed by August 28, 2024.
Box Locations – Transforming Belmont 2024
Download the Documents – Transforming Belmont 2024
Here are the links for all the documents you need to submit an entry:
TransformingBelmont-2024-Call-for-Entries
TransformingBelmont-2024-EntryForm
TransformingBelmont-2024-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.