Daily News

Springfield Cultural District Seeks Unconventional Gallery Proposals

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Central Cultural District (SCCD) has issued a call to artists for a unique opportunity in Downtown Springfield. The Cultural District is searching for artists to host a solo show in SCCD’s Art Stop pop-up gallery program and sell their work in one of three locations downtown: New England Public Radio (NEPR), SilverBrick Lofts, and 1550 Main.

The request for proposals (RFP) asks for proposals from artists of all mediums to show their work from March to June 2017. Requirements for what the art should look like are fairly laid-back, to best enable creative expression. All art will be available for sale during the display period, with 100% of proceeds going directly back to the creator. A stipend of $200 will also be awarded to chosen artists.

The Art Stop venues range from a small community meeting space at NEPR which has been used for its youth arts program MediaLab and yoga classes, to the highly visible first-floor lobby of 1550 Main, trafficked by hundreds of people daily, to a large community space at SilverBrick Lofts housing two mammoth, historic boilers. The SCCD hopes artists will draw inspiration from these differing spaces.

“The idea to create unconventional gallery spaces sprung out of being asked by the host locations how to activate their community rooms, and we’re always looking for ways to increase walkability downtown,” said Cultural District Director Morgan Drewniany. “The October pilot Art Stop in these locations was a huge success in both ways — people were walking and talking about art in a new and different way in the district, and we hope to continue the momentum by doing it again.”

A joint reception will be held between the three locations in late March, with artist talks, street art, and performances between the locations to encourage walking, and light food and drinks, all provided by the SCCD and hosts for the artists.

The Springfield Central Cultural District encompasses an area of the metro center of Springfield, and is membership-based, involving many of the downtown arts institutions. Its mission is to create and sustain a vibrant cultural environment in Springfield.

The RFP and more details on this program can be found at springfieldculture.org/artistresources. Any questions can be forwarded to Drewniany at [email protected] or (413) 454-1195.