Utilitarian Art

A couple of weeks ago I instigated an outdoor brainstorming session for people to think about potential locations for art. This included public and private property for murals, sculpture, and creative signage. We had a great turnout of artists, organization leaders, and town staff.

After the photo was taken, we were joined by another nine people

One of the areas talked about was utility boxes, meters, and pipes. Here are some photos of the specific areas discussed:

CSX Utility Box

Electric Meter Boxes

Gas Pipes

Well, it seems we aren't the only one thinking along these lines. I was alerted via a tweet to an article from democratandchronicle.com which reports on a movement in Rochester, NY to turn public utility boxes into public art.

From the story:

Two local artists have been commissioned by the business association to paint three utility boxes with their own designs. They were chosen after an open call for artists, said Priscilla Auchincloss, president of the assocation.

And:

Artists were given a $400 stipend for each utility box in addition to $125 for supplies, Steward said. Both artists hope to have their utility boxes painted by the end of June. The project was inspired by other neighborhoods in Rochester, Auchincloss said. Other neighborhoods have also painted bus stops.

Update, 9/26/12

Seems the Democrat and Chronicle article is no longer online. Here's another link I found to the story:

http://postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1501775

Sounds like a great plan to me!