Mid Massachusetts News

Paint the new gateway to Cambridge’s Central Square. Cambridge Arts is looking for an artist or artist team to paint a two-dimensional design on the surface of a large-scale, three-dimensional ribbon arch that will be installed in Central Square's Carl Barron Plaza, at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and River Street.

The City of Cambridge is seeking a painter who can create a new artwork that responds to the character of the site. The commissioned artist will paint the metal surface of the ribbon arch that will run horizontally and vertically through the plaza (see sketch of the form in the rendering above). Painting will be accomplished off-site at an indoor space provided by the city.

Artists are invited to submit images of past work and biographical information to be considered for this project. See details below. (No proposals at this time.) Apply by June 26, 2023, at 5 p.m. EST, at http://cac.slideroom.com.

BUDGET The anticipated budget will be approximately $50,000. The final budget will be determined during the selection process. Artist’s budget will need to include artist’s design fee, insurance, transportation, collaboration with city staff, review meetings, painting of artwork, and community engagement as needed. The city will cover paint, work space, and costs of painting supplies.

THE OPPORTUNITY:
Cambridge Arts is looking for an artist who can respond to the character of Central Square in general and Carl Barron Plaza specifically.
It is an opportunity to consider how a two-dimensional design can shape the public’s experience of a three-dimensional form that winds horizontally and vertically through a busy plaza. People will sit on the form, walk under and through it, see it up close and from afar.
It is an opportunity to speak to the multi-cultural character of Central Square, a bustling center of business, arts and culture, social services, and city government.
It is an opportunity to make an artistic statement while also being in the company of the work of many other artists whose murals already exist in Central Square.

BACKGROUND:
The history of Central Square as a cultural and business district goes back to the late 18th century. Waves of immigration over the decades have contributed to the diverse character of the area. It has been an industrial manufacturing center, a robust commercial downtown, and the administrative center of city government. It is both a Cultural District designated by Mass Cultural Council and the Central Square Historic District designated by the National Register of Historic Places.

Central Square holds a rich variety of shops, restaurants, residences, performance venues, specialty grocers, educational and non-profit organizations, faith organizations, and public services. The variety of cultural offerings keeps the area lively day and night. The neighborhood continues to grow, influenced by the expanding science and technology industries of the city. It is also a hub for transit by subway and bus as well as providing routes north, south, east, and west for other modes of travel. Anchoring the west end of the district are Cambridge City Hall, the U.S. post office, and the Cambridge Senior Center. The east end leads to MIT and the Kendall Square area and Boston beyond.

Central Square is also home to Modica Way, popularly known as Graffiti Alley, a sanctioned “free wall” that serves as a constantly changing canvas for artists. In addition, many murals have been commissioned in recent years by the Central Square Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with Cambridge Arts to amplify art in the Central Square Cultu
ral District, and they can be seen on walls throughout the Square: https://www.centralsq.org/public-art/central-square-mural-project 

Carl Barron Plaza:
Carl Barron Plaza sits at the junction of Massachusetts Avenue, Prospect Street, Western Avenue, and River Street. Thousands of people flow through the intersection every day.

The redesign and reconstruction of Carl Barron Plaza is part of a larger project for redesigning River Street, which runs north-south between Central Square and Memorial Drive. Two pieces of the current plaza will be joined. The “ribbon” structure will visually unify the plaza.

DETAILS:
1. One artist will be selected through a community process. We invite artists to submit images of past work and biographical information to be considered. See details below. (No proposals at this time.)
2. Made of metal, the ribbon structure is approximately 460 feet in running length. The surface area for mural art is approximately 1600 square feet.
3. The selected artist will develop a proposal in collaboration with Cambridge Arts, other city departments, and the design team. Feedback will be gathered from community stakeholders and the Central Square Business Improvement District. The Public Art Commission will need to review and approve the design. The city is seeking a design that considers how the ribbon structure will be experienced by plaza users.
4. Once the artwork design is approved, the artist will be required to paint the design on all four surfaces of the “ribbon”: top, bottom, and sides (except where illumination material occurs). Assistance and direction will be provided throughout the process by city staff.
5. The Cambridge Arts Director of Art Conservation will advise the artist on paint systems.
6. The artist will be painting the structure in sections set up in a protected, heated, indoor workspace provided off-site by the general contractor.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience creating art responsive to public spaces.
Experience creating artwork that is in scale with a large site.
Experience managing time and budget for a public art project.
Experience collaborating with project stakeholders.
Availability to paint a large-scale three-dimensional form (the “ribbon”) so that all sides are of equal interest.
Preference will be given to local artists based in the Boston region. 

SELECTION PROCESS:
1. We invite any artist who is interested in this project to attend a virtual Information Session on one of two dates. Please register at the following link, and zoom information will be emailed to you: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/49d9d233fa9d434d9c5021452a342b03 
a. June 12, 2023, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
b. June 13, 2023, noon-1 p.m.

2. Interested artists apply via our Public Art Registry.
3. Three finalists will be selected based on qualifications, which we define as past work and experience.
4. Cambridge Arts public art staff will work with each finalist to prepare for an interview so that each finalist understands the site and city project goals.
5. A selection committee representing city staff, the design team, and stakeholders will interview each of the three finalists and select one artist to be commissioned.

TIMELINE:
June 5, 2023 Call-for-artists launched
June 12, 2023, 7:30-8:30 p.m. Info Session (on Zoom). Registration link above.
June 13, 2023, noon-1 p.m. Info Session (on Zoom). Registration link above.
June 26, 5 p.m. Final date to apply
Late Summer 2023 3 Finalists selected
September 2023 Selection Committee interviews 3 finalists and selects one artist or team to be commissioned.

HOW TO APPLY
Submit images of past work and biographical information at http://cac.slideroom.com.

If you are not in our artist registry, registration is free and easy – upload digital files of work samples and complete the form for artist information. Once you are in our registry you will be considered for this project as well as for future public art commissions administered by the City of Cambridge.

If you are already in the registry, you must send an email noting your interest in this project to Hilary Zelson, Public Art Administrator: hzelson@cambridgema.gov.

For technical support using Slideroom, please e-mail support@slideroom.com. For other questions, please contact Hilary Zelson at hzelson@cambridgema.gov  or 617-349-4388. 

Original source can be found here.