BOSTON, MASS. (May 21, 2021) – A newly-revised 16-month Now + There Public Art Accelerator Program is getting underway this summer with the goal of bringing more public art to Boston, helping emerging artists navigate the process and create a pipeline for future projects. The application process is open to all Boston-area residents and artists, beginning May 21 through June 15.
Now + There, a nonprofit working to bring temporary, site-specific public art installations to all neighborhoods of Boston, offers this one-of-a-kind Public Art Accelerator program to support early-to-mid-career Boston-area artists. This is an open call for the next cohort, and the organization is committed to engaging artists of color from all backgrounds and experiences to apply for the program. The artists will be selected by July 16.
The Accelerator, Cohort Four, will provide four Boston-area artists with tools, resources, and cohort-style workshops to work on budgeting, insurance, contract negotiation, permitting and city approvals, and other aspects of working in the field. It is a two-phased program, designed to be a fast-paced, six-month learning experience from July 2021 to January 2022. During the second phase, artists work toward a conceptual design that fits Now + There’s curatorial theme – mobilization. They can then present their plans to a jury for the opportunity to receive $25,000 in funding and continued one-on-one Now + There staff support to create a neighborhood-focused project by October 31, 2022.
“We believe public art has the power to enliven Boston as an even more vital, creative, and exciting city,” said Kate Gilbert, Now + There’s Executive Director. “We’re committed to fostering artists who break down biases and shed light on often-overlooked people and issues while also providing moments of joy and respite in our neighborhoods. We believe the Accelerator program can build a pipeline for more public art in Boston as we work toward creating a more vibrant and equitable city overall.”
Past Now + There Accelerator artists include: Stephen Hamilton, Cat Mazza, Gabriel Sosa, Daniele Rivera, Pat Falco, Samantha Fields, Cynthia Gunadi, Joel Lamere, Lina Maria Giraldo, Ekua Holmes, Ryan Edwards, Katarina Burin, Yu-Wen Wu, Karthik Pandian, Andrew Mowbray, Ang Li, Shaka Dendy, David Buckley Borden, and Dell Marie Hamilton. Notable projects include Sosa’s No Es Facil/It Ain’t Easy and Ekua Holmes’s Roxbury Sunflower Project and Stephen Hamilton’s The Founder’s Project.
The Accelerator Program is generously funded by Joyce Linde, James and Audrey Foster, and donors who believe in the power of public art.
Several informational Zoom drop-in workshops are being offered to answer questions about the program on Wed. May 26 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday, June 4 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 pm., and Friday, June 11 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Here is a link to more detailed information about the Accelerator application process: www.nowandthere.org/applycohortfour
ABOUT NOW + THERE:
Now + There (N+T) is a non-profit public art curator fostering artists and the public to create bold public art experiences that open minds, conversations, and spaces across Boston, resulting in a more open, equitable, and vibrant city. (www.nowandthere.org).
MEDIA CONTACT:
Diana Brown McCloy, diana@teakmedia.com
Photo: Previous Accelerator, Electroknit Dymaxion, 2019 by Cat Mazza