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MONTPELIER, VT—The public is invited to attend a virtual presentation of preliminary design concepts from four Vermont artists who are competing for a $43,000 permanent public art commission for the Vermont Department of Mental Health Recovery Residence under construction in Essex.
The presentation will be held from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, via Zoom.
The four artists—Michael Cerulli Billingsley of Plainfield; Carol Langstaff of Sharon; Kathryn Wiegers of Rutland; and Valerie Hird of Burlington—will present images, drawings, plans, or models as available for the Recovery Residence.
The artists are finalists in the search for artwork for the building, begun in August, as a part of the Vermont Art in State Buildings (AISB) program, which is administered by the Vermont Arts Council in partnership with the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services.
The program aims to encourage the work of Vermont artists, to enhance and preserve the state’s cultural environment, and to provide artistic enrichment for Vermont citizens and visitors through state-owned buildings and public spaces.
Established and funded by the Art in State Buildings Act of 1988, the program allows up to two capital construction projects be selected each year. More than two dozen projects in different locations around the state have been installed since the program began. The most recent installation was ”The Origin of the River,” a granite trout sculpture by Sean Williams at the Roxbury Fish Culture Station.
The Vermont Department of Mental Health is constructing a new facility at 26 Woodside Drive in Colchester/Essex at the site of the former Woodside Juvenile Rehabilitation Center. The new 16-bed facility will serve Vermonters who no longer require an inpatient level of care but continue to require significant support as they transition to a lower level of care.
The preliminary design concepts for the building will be available for viewing on the Arts Council website after the online presentation. They can be viewed at https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/grants/artists/art-in-state-buildings.
Zoom details for the Feb. 4 public presentation are also available at the link.
The public is encouraged to share feedback about the designs via an online survey on the Arts Council website until Feb. 22, 2022.
After the public comment period, an Art Selection Committee, comprised of selected building employees, community members, and visual arts experts, will meet to determine which of the artists will be selected to further develop their concept and create the final design.
For more information about the Art in State Buildings program or other public art projects, visit https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/programs/public-art.
About the Vermont Arts Council
The Vermont Arts Council envisions a Vermont where all people have access to the arts and creativity in their lives, education, and communities. Engagement with the arts transforms individuals, connects us more deeply to each other, energizes the economy, and sustains the vibrant cultural landscape that makes Vermont a great place to live. Since 1965, the Council has been the state's primary provider of funding, advocacy, and information for the arts in Vermont. Learn more at vermontartscouncil.org
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