|
THIS CALL HAS CLOSED. |
| Budget: $1,500 |
| Activated: 08/10/2018 Deadline: 09/05/2018 |
| Call Summary The Natick Center Cultural District, the Town of Natick, and MAPC are excited to announce a Call for Creatives to propose public works of art, design, and cultural expression in Natick Center. All works produced for the demonstration are considered to be temporary works. The long-term installation of projects beyond the demonstration period will be determined by the Town of Natick. |
| Budget Description Budget should be inclusive of materials and artist fee. For assistance in crafting a budget, or for any other kind of additional support, applicants may reach out to Daniel Koff (dkoff@mapc.org) to be connected with a local mentor for one-on-one assistance. |
| Project Description This invitation comes out of the Natick Center Creative Placemaking Strategy & Demonstration Project that is being produced for the Town by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). The goal of the plan is to make Natick Center more navigable and welcoming to visitors by improving the number, breadth, and quality of arts and cultural experiences in public places within the area. The demonstration projects that will arise from this call are just the start of this long-term initiative. Project partners will be documenting and evaluating the demonstration, and all information will inform the preparation of the Natick Creative Placemaking Strategy. |
| Artwork Goals The goals of the artwork are to increase accessibility and inclusivity in Natick Center. |
| Artwork Location Description Creatives may propose to locate their projects in any one of the following three sites: 1. Moran Park and footbridge over railroad 2. Adams Street Alley 3. Town Common and intersection of Routes 135 and 27 |
| Eligibility The call is open to any creative resident of Massachusetts. Applicants of all ages, backgrounds, and level of experience are encouraged to apply. Individuals, organizations, and teams are welcome. Respondents with similar or complimentary ideas may be introduced to each other during the selection process as collaboration and community participation are encouraged. |
| Application Requirements |
|
Resume: 3 page(s) maximum Work examples: 1 - 6 Letter of Interest: 600 word maximum Letters of interest should include the following information: • Project/Idea Title • Project Description • Description of how it will engage the community |
|
Artists are allowed to apply in teams.
Each artist is to submit the full allotment of work examples. |
| Selection Information |
| Selection Process Applications will be evaluated during a two-step juried process involving members of Natick Center Associates’ Public Art Committee and members of the Natick Center Creative Placemaking Advisory Group. Finalists must be available for a 30 minute interview in person or over the phone September 7-10. Awards will be announced during or soon after the second week of September. |
| Selection Criteria Below is a list of recommendations and considerations to help guide Creatives in the development of their proposals. This list was developed with input from the Creative Placemaking Advisory Committee and will be used by the selection committee during their review. While it is not required that projects address any or all of these recommendations, applicants are strongly encouraged to incorporate any that apply to their projects. GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS • Guide People to Find their Way. Projects can be created to direct the viewer’s attention to notice certain aspects of Natick including directions to local landmarks, civic resources, places of interest, or more intangible features such as personal stories and historical narratives. • Be Accessible and Welcoming. Natick Center attracts a culturally diverse population of people at all income levels and with different abilities. To be welcoming to all, projects should be accessible to an intergenerational audience and to people who may not necessarily live in Natick • Engage the Public. Projects that are participatory, hands-on, engage viewers as participants, and provide varied opportunities to stimulate a variety of senses in Natick Center’s public places and spaces (e.g., sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch) are highly encouraged. Projects could provide an interactive experience for the public to learn something new. • Be Bold. Projects may demonstrate an expansive definition of art and culture, taking a new twist on an old art form, or may invent new categories of experience. • Respect the Environment. Projects should exemplify how the human and physical environment in Natick Center are regarded with care: sustainable materials and processes are used, it is safe to interact with the project, and the artistic process and messages conveyed are expressive of and responsive to different viewpoints. • Be Relevant to Local History. Projects may be mindful of the physical and human history and character of Natick Center’s past, present, and future. They may be grounded in and honoring of diverse local, including Native histories, but also forward-thinking and not constrained by adherence to unspoken rules or mainstream aesthetic norms. • Address Planning Priorities. Projects may call attention to new regulations that are being considered to ensure that new housing developments in Natick Center will include a mix of market-rate and affordable options. SITE-SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS MORAN PARK • Be Respectful to Veterans and Memorials on Site. Moran Park and the adjacent bridge are home to many veteran memorials. Works of art should be respectful to the veterans and to the memorials themselves. i.e do not cover, block, or defame them in any way. • Think About How People Use the Space. A majority of people that enter the park simply pass through on their way to the train station, so surveys have indicated that many people do not find Moran Park a comfortable place to sit and spend time. Your artwork may address these issues by either creating more space for people to pause and relax, and/or to enhance the park’s role as a gateway. • Promote Improvements to Train Station. Changes are being planned for the Commuter Rail Station to make it more accessible with the addition of an elevator which will take people from the street level to the platform. Works of art may promote these upcoming changes and help people envision the area as a new entrance to the Town. ADAMS STREET ALLEY • Capitalize on the Urban Aesthetic. With its combination of murals and raw architectural features, this alley provides an urban oasis within Natick Center. Artwork here can enhance these qualities and provide additional opportunities for photographers who already frequent this area as a backdrop for their posts on social media. • Remember that this Space is a Loading Zone. Adams Street is the back entrance to several businesses and restaurants, so projects here must maintain proper clearance for the trucks that use this space for loading and unloading. TOWN COMMON • Think about Interaction. Many people in community meetings wanted something to do in the Common. An artwork that is interactive may fill this gap in what the site has to offer residents. Interaction may be playful, or could engage people through their various senses. • Respect other Artwork. Natick Common is already home to some public monuments, artworks, and shelters. New works of art should take these pieces into consideration and be mindful not to degrade, but to enhance the existing public amenities. • Make the Common more Welcoming. People have commented on how the Common has a lack of seating, places to eat, and welcoming signage. Installations here may address these issues by making the Common more accessible and inclusive. |
| Timeline Projects must be prepared to be exhibited the weekend of November 3rd and 4th, 2018. |
| Additional Resources |
| https://www.mapc.org/resource-library/natick-center-creative-placemaking/ |
| Unnamed Resource (PDF) |
| Contact Information | Daniel Koff 60 Temple Place Boston MA 02111 United States 6179330714 dkoff@mapc.org |
 |
 |
 |
 |
