Wellesley’s electrical boxes to become works of art

The public is invited to apply to paint 1 of 3 traffic signal electric boxes in Wellesley, adding artistic flair to an otherwise mundane piece of infrastructure. You’ve probably seen this sort of public art before in nearby communities such as Natick and Newton.

Selected artists for the Electrical Box Art Program, organized by Wellesley’s Public Art Committee and Police Department, will receive a $1,000 stipend per location to cover time, transportation and supplies. The invitation is open to amateur and professional artists, plus art and educational institutions.

A committee will narrow down the candidates, and the Public Art Committee and Board of Selectmen will make the final call.

Submissions are due by Dec. 1 at 4pm, and selected artists will be announced on Feb. 1. The plan is for the boxes to be painted next spring and completed by mid-year, 2020.

Location of Boxes:

• The intersection of Washington Street and Wellesley Ave on the North side.
• Washington Street and State Street on the Southeast corner.
• Washington Street in Wellesley Hills (to the right of the Clock tower) on the North side.

(3 boxes seems like a good start to us. This sort of public art can get to be a bit much when overdone.)

There are a bunch of rules you’ll need to follow, so read on to get the details.

And we really encourage lots of people to apply. You DO NOT want us to get picked…

Artists’ Proposals:

Proposals should include the artist’s signature on the proposal as it would appear on the actual electric box. Signatures shall not exceed 2 inches high x 8 inches wide and may include the copyright sign “©” with the date.

All submitted proposals become non-exclusive copyrights of the Wellesley PAC. Wellesley PAC will never use designs submitted by one applicant to commission another artist – unless given explicit approval by the applicant.

What Proposals are Eligible?

The Wellesley Public Art Committee acknowledges that everyone relates to their creative forces and respective art influences differently.

The first priority is that the boxes become high quality artworks that enliven the public realm. This can come in many forms and styles.

Proposals should be positive, original, and colorful and may (but are not required to) reflect the following:

• The immediate environment
• The character and culture of the Town of Wellesley
• The history of the area
• Community pride
• Creativity

Proposals should be designed to last a minimum of two years. However, the electric box is public property equipment and may require upgrading or need replacing at any time. There is no guarantee of how long the artwork will remain on an electric box. The Town of Wellesley has the right to move or remove the artwork at any time.

Proposals will be ineligible if they involve:

• A breach of intellectual property rights (i.e. somebody else’s idea)
• Trademarks, brand or business names, logos or copyrighted images
• Collage or gluing anything onto the box

What About Copyright?

The artist owns the copyright of the artwork created for the electric boxes and may use for portfolio and copyright purposes. The Wellesley PAC may enter into an additional agreement with the artist if commercial products are produced by Wellesley PAC. The artists further agrees to allow the Wellesley PAC and the Town of Wellesley to use the artwork image in any non-commercial way, to promote the EBAP, the PAC, the Town of Wellesley, and any associated events. The EBAP and the Town agree to use all images in a professional manner and will label all images with artist’s name attached. In addition, the Town reserves the rights to make and use promotional footage collected for television, web publication, and other media outlets.

What Steps are Involved?

Applicants need to mail or deliver a complete proposal so it is received by December 1, 2019. Late submissions will not be reviewed.

1. The selection committee will review the proposals and recommend three artists, one artist for each of the three electric boxes.
2. The PAC and the Town of Wellesley will grant final approval and inform the selected artists.
3. Chosen artists will be announced February 1, 2020.
4. Selected artists will need to sign and return an Artist Contract.

Other Useful Information:

1. The Town will have the electric boxes primed and ready at the appropriate time.
2. The anticipated schedule is for electric boxes to be painted during the Spring of 2020. Electric box painting must be completed no later than June 30, 2020.
3. The PAC will provide standards as to the types of paint that are allowed based on durability, fading, and ability to hold up in weather.
4. Selected artists must supply their own materials based on PAC standards using the $1,000 stipend.
5. Electric box concrete bases must be kept clean and free of paint unless approval has been granted by PAC
6. The electric meter on each box will not be painted.
7. The PAC reserves the right to terminate the agreement at any time.

Location of Boxes:

1. The intersection of Washington Street and Wellesley Ave on the North side.
2. Washington Street and State Street on the Southeast corner.
3. Washington Street in Wellesley Hills (to the right of the Clock tower) on the North side.
4. The boxes vary slightly in size but the average dimensions are:

Front Door: 44” wide by 47” tall

Sides: 27” wide by 55” tall

Back: 44’ wide by 55” tall

Submission Checklist:

Only complete submissions will be reviewed by the selection committee and must be received by December 1, 2019. Late submissions will not be reviewed.

Please submit the following:

1. Contact Information

Artist name, mailing address, telephone number, and email.

1. Drawing

The proposal should be submitted on your Electric Box Diagram and show all sides and top of the electric box. Include the artist’s signature on the proposal.

1. Artwork Information

Name for the artwork and brief description (50 words or less) of the reasons or inspiration behind the proposal. (This information will be used for publicity about the program.)

1. Availability

Artists must be available to paint the electric box assigned to them beginning in Spring 2020 and completed by June 30, 2020.

E-mail or Deliver the Submission:

You may e-mail one printed version of the complete submission to:

[email protected]

or

You may deliver submission to:

Wellesley Police Department

c/o Chief Jack Pilecki

485 Washington Street

Wellesley, MA 02482

All submissions must be received by December 1, 2019 at 4:00PM to be considered.

If you have any questions concerning this project, please contact Chief Jack Pilecki at 781-235-0062.