The Bedford MA Utility Box Project is looking for its next round of artists to decorate two highly visible utility boxes in the center of town.
The town has approved painting of the utility box in front of the police station and the box at the corner of Springs Road and The Great Road as part of the Bedford Utility Box Project’s latest grant from the Bedford Cultural Council.
And the artist could be you!
Anyone interested in painting one of the boxes should submit a proposal before March 1 (minors will need to be supervised by someone 18 years or older).
Designs will be reviewed by a jury, and the two selected designs will be announced by the end of March.
The artists will be responsible for purchasing supplies to prepare and paint the boxes and will receive a $500 stipend once the project is complete. Artists will be responsible for cleaning, sanding, priming, and painting the boxes anytime between April and mid-June.
Utility Box Project boxes in the past have been painted by professional artists, BHS students, families, and aspiring artists. This Call for Artists marks the fifth round of utility boxes painted around town. The first box was designed in 2019 by Bedford Public Schools K-12 Visual Arts Program Director Sean Hagen and students and the latest by a BHS student located near the town playground and a professional artist on Crosby Drive.
Sarah Scoville, who coordinates the Bedford Utility Box Project and who designed the box on The Great Road near the entrance to Bedford Marketplace, said, “We have gotten such positive feedback on how the murals brighten people’s day and enhance the town. I encourage people to add to that joy! It is a lot of work and very rewarding.”
Scoville said the jury has no predetermined theme or style of art when they pick the designs, however, “keep in mind that these boxes are in the center of town with both pedestrians viewing them as well as drivers.” She recommends the designs “be a balance of bold enough for drivers to understand the design and detailed enough for pedestrians to enjoy as well.”
Designs cannot include words, advertisements, trademarks, or copyrights. The Springs Road box has a short side very close to a telephone pole, so that might be taken into consideration in the design or the design decision.
Scoville already has her eyes set on future rounds – there are new boxes for the pickleball court lighting and the light at the intersection of North Road and Chelmsford Road, and is she looking forward to continuing to brighten up the town for many years to come.
For more information on the program, to apply or access the application, contact Sarah Scoville at [email protected]
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