LOCKPORT, N.Y. — The pandemic forced so many businesses and organizations to do things differently when it came to events. So it's interesting this summer to see a lot of the old favorites returning, but also how some of those pandemic pivots led down a whole new path.
"We saw a lot of successes during COVID," said Parrish Gibbons Herzog, spokeswoman for the Kenan Center. "So we're bringing those into the future. It was a benefit to the community for them to feel that they can come onto our campus and enjoy it in ways that they haven't before. So we want to keep that relationship with our community consistent as well."
Back for a second year at the Kenan Center is g(art)en, which is a public art display tucked into their luscious grounds in Lockport. It's happening next month to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the center's American Craftsman Artisan Festival. Right now, they're looking for artists to bring their vision to the greenspace.
"We're looking for artists to submit proposals that really elevate the beauty of our gardens and the campus itself and also brings a bit of their personality so that we have a diverse collection of art on our Kenan campus, all mediums are welcome to apply," said Parrish. "And people of all skill sets, all ages are encouraged to submit a proposal."
So that means you don't have to be a professional artist or even an adult, you can just have a creative spark and maybe even a little courage to share it.
What you create could be exactly what they need.
"I think g(art)en is an example of an event that makes art very accessible," Parrish said. "So you know, when you stumble upon art, that's a really special way to engage with it. And it also puts art in front of people who might not necessarily walk into a gallery or into a museum. But people who do enjoy walking throughout the gardens or walking their dog on campus will stumble upon and be exposed to art in a way that perhaps they didn't expect to that day."
Feeling inspired yet? Ok, here are the particulars. The deadline to submit proposals is this Friday, June 4.
Winners will be announced June 11. Selected artists will get a $250 stipend. We can all see the selections the weekend of July 10 and 11 which, again, coincides with the American Craftsmen Artisan Festival and the Lockport in Bloom Garden Walk and Chalkfest.
You can apply right on Kenan Center's website by clicking here.