DOT Seeks Artists to Decorate the South Street Greenway for June Installation

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Have construction, will decorate.

Traffic modifications are now underway on South Street as part of the city’s so-called “Greenway” project. In due course, a series of 6-foot protective concrete barriers will be installed between Rutgers Slip and Montgomery Street, and travel lanes reconfigured to discourage speeding.

These traffic calming measures are part of an overall effort to improve safety and access to/through the Lower East Side waterfront.

Of course, what capital project would be complete without its token art project? To that end, the Department of Transportation recently joined forces with the Hester Street Collaborative to field submissions for a public art installation this June. Each of these medians, while acting as protection for pedestrians and cyclists, is also a canvas. So, if you’re interested in participating, there is currently an open call [PDF] for individual artists and designers. Deadline for applications is Monday, April 4 at 10am.

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The opportunity is described as a way to “engage local residents and enhance local residents experience as they travel to and from the waterfront.” Budget for the program is $12,000, which covers the artist fee, material, and fabrication costs.

The project will be developed over the Spring of 2016 to be fabricated and installed in June for a duration of 11 months. The artist will be identified through an open call and selected by local community leaders. After the artist is selected, s/he will work together with us to engage local community members in public workshops to inform the development of the project.

Responses should capture both concepts for the final project and your approach to participatory art making. We are looking for applicants who are excited to engage local community members in the design of the final artwork. Hester Street Collaborative will work with the selected artist(s) to organize two community stakeholder meetings and two community workshops in May to provide project feedback and opportunities for community and youth participation. Responses should also acknowledge the linguistic and cultural diversity of the Lower East Side.

It makes sense that the Hester Street Collaborative is behind this creative push. The community organization co-developed the Paths to Pier 42 interim project at the long-abandoned pier the last few summers.

Here is the full application deck:

South Street Greenway Call for Artists