UrbanArts
Commentary by Lauren Chrystal
In an effort to promote neighborhood revitalization, The UrbanArts Institute was founded in 1980 to incorporate arts and culture into urban design. The Institute is part of the Massachusetts College of Art + Design. Its mission is to support the active role of art in the urban landscape, and to encourage participation from artists and citizens. The institute focuses on promoting the arts in three main areas: public spaces, community development, and community education and resources.
In addition to the Boston Contemporary Writer's Project, the UrbanArts Institute supports many other projects around Boston. The projects vary in scope and in purpose. Each project is tailored to fit in with its surroundings. Some projects are meant to be fun and whimsical, such as the Tadpole playground in the middle of Boston Common and the Interactive Fountain, located in Mission Hill. Other projects are meant to memorialize or educate, such as the Boston's Women's Memorial located on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall and the Dorchester Fallen Heroes Memorial in Pope John Paul II Park. Still other projects function simply as thought-provoking and visually stimulating art, such as the Everett Square Pear sculpture, or the Rainbow Cove in Logan Airport.
The institute hosts many conferences and symposiums on urban art, and these are often open to the public. UrbanArts events can be found by visiting the Institute's website: www.urbanartsinstitute.org.
