THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
August 25, 2021 Attleboro, MA – Public art enlivens and enhances cities and can turn public spaces into destinations. Weaving visual art into an urban environment by offering public art encounters brings people together, creates pride-of-place and invites engagement.
A collaboration between the City of Attleboro, Transformative Development Initiative (TDI) Partnership, Keep Attleboro Beautiful, Attleboro Arts Museum, local artists and a downtown property owner has been activated to transform the surface of Attleboro’s sidewalk utility boxes into gallery-worthy works of art. Original drawings, paintingsand digital creations from a team of artists that live and/or work in Attleboro will encase six of the city’s utility boxes in the heart of the downtown by the end of September 2021.
All of the artists, Tim Elliott, David R. Laferriere, Lindsay Nygaard, Abby Rovaldi, Kerry St. Pierre and Jess Tracey, have volunteeredtheir time and talent to support the program.
Rick Correia of the Attleboro Redevelopment Authorityand member of the TDI Partnership comments “It was a pleasure dealing with such a fine group of people that worked very hard to make this beautification program happen.”
BEFORE
Each box is marked with a QR code (sample code pictured). When viewers scan the code with a smartphone camera they’ll find a statement about the artwork pictured on a given box, background on each artist and an online survey to capture their feedbackon the program.
AFTER
Mim Brooks Fawcett, Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Attleboro Arts Museum has been working with the artists and preparing their original art for production. Rather than being painted directed on the boxes, a wrap will be imprinted with the art and mounted to each structure.
This process creates artwork that is more durable and longlasting. Fawcett comments, “Quality of life is improved when individuals can interact with art on an everyday basis. By thinking (and looking) outside the box viewers will no longer see these structures as eyesores. They’ll be connecting with inviting installations that help to energize downtown Attleboro’s public spaces.” This debut edition of Think Outside the Box serves as a pilot program.
It’s funded by the City of Attleboro, Keep Attleboro Beautiful and a private donation. Organizers hope to expand the program throughout the city and turn other basic, functional structures into contemporary, eyecatching street markers. “This local art will add color and life to downtown Attleboro, furthering our revitalization efforts. We thank the Attleboro Arts Museum and our talented local artists for this contribution,” states Mayor Paul Heroux
Keep Attleboro Beautiful Chair Laurie Drucker states, “This is a program that Keep Attleboro Beautiful has been wanting to undertake for many months, and we are so thankful for the cooperation and participation of so many city entities that brought about the project’s success.We look forward to the next phase, as well, and look for ongoing community participation.”
Sponsorship opportunites for additional boxes are available.
office@attleboroartsmuseum.orgto learn more. Think Outside the Box is produced by (in alpha order): Attleboro Arts Museum, City of Attleboro Department of Public Works, City of Attleboro Veteran’s Department, Cool Air Creations, Inc., Rick Correia, Laurie Drucker, George Durante, Catherine Feerick, Mim Brooks Fawcett, Mayor Paul Heroux, Brian Hodess, Kathy Ilkowitz, Keep Attleboro Beautiful, Transformative Development Initiative Partnership – Attleboro, MA
The Attleboro Arts Museuminvolves audiences of all ages and backgrounds in the visual arts through diverse educational programs and engaging arts experiences. We work to support the creative and artistic development of both promising and professional artists. The Museum is a privately supported, non-profit arts institution whose core commitment to Arts for Everyone guides the Museum’s programs and operations.
www.attleboroartsmuseum.org