City Of Ames: Public Art Commission Seeking Artists To Design Electric Transformer Boxes

Press release from the City of Ames:

January 12, 2022

The Ames Public Art Commission (PAC), in partnership with Downtown Ames, seeks artists to add visual interest to Ames by beautifying ordinary public infrastructure. A pilot program to cover electrical transformer boxes with vinyl wrap designs has been approved by the Ames City Council to be implemented in Downtown Ames.

PAC is seeking amateur or professional artists of all ages who are Ames residents to submit designs for consideration. Templates (in PDF) available on the PAC website provide dimensions and locations for the seven various-sized boxes that are planned to be wrapped. Artists must submit their proposed designs in PDF format via email. Artists whose designs are selected will receive an honorarium of $100. The deadline to submit designs is Tuesday, Feb. 15. More information is available at www.CityOfAmes.org/PAC

“The Commission encourages artists to reimagine transformer boxes as something amazing rather than ordinary,” said PAC member Sara Sherman. “We hope the designs bring color, creativity, and inspiration to our Downtown on surfaces where people don’t expect it.”

The Public Art Commission establishes public art philosophy, develops a public art plan for the City, monitors the public art budget and recommends funding allocations for public art within City facilities, develops guidelines for selecting artwork, seeks private and governmental funding for public art, and develops educational, promotional projects for public arts programming. The Commission on the Arts is charged with setting goals and criteria for arts expenditures for City Council approval, and with preparing and submitting a recommended plan for distribution of arts funding.

This press release was produced by the City of Ames. The views expressed here are the author’s own.