Above: Art on the Trails organizers are asking artists to propose art to install at Beals Preserve for the 10th annual summerlong exhibition. (images cropped from announcement 2017 flyer, and 2023 photo by Beth Melo)*
Reminder, the deadline to submit art to be part of the 10th Anniversary of Art on the Trails at Beals Preserve is a week from today.
The milestone seems to have organizers reflecting on time.
This year’s theme is “Time in the Landscape”.
As explained on the Art on the Trails website, organizers are asking applicants:
to consider the land as an active witness to change and memory. Artists are encouraged to respond to questions such as:
- How does the land remember?
- What histories are embedded in soil, stone, trees, and water?
- How do seasons, climate, and natural cycles shape place over time?
- What traces do people leave behind as they move through the landscape?
Those interested in potentially applying can request a guided tour of the site. But act soon, since the “Call for Art” closes at midnight on Wednesday, April 15th (with no extensions).
The juror for this year’s exhibition is Lisa Barthelson — a multidisciplinary artist and three-time exhibitor in the show. You can learn more about her here (and see her contribution to last summer’s exhibit, #10 in the photo gallery “Frenzied Returns”, here.)
For the 6th year, accepted artists will receive a $100 stipend. (They can also use the exhibit to sell their installations, with 25% of the fees to be donated to SOLF.)
As always, submissions must adhere to their “Leave No Trace” policy. The art on the SOLF preserve must leave no permanent trace to the environment and be installed without harm to surrounding trees or vegetation.
Selections will be announced on May 5th. Works will be installed by artists on June 13th to be on display through September 13th. (The trails are generally open to the public from dawn to dusk.)
If you’re feeling inspired, or think you know someone who might be, you can check out the website here and the full submission guidelines here. (You can also look at past coverage and photos on the blog here.)
Each year, the exhibit is also used to inspire poetry for a chapbook. Stay tuned for news on a Call for Poetry later this summer.
Once again, the outdoor exhibit is made possible through support from the Southborough Community Fund, SOLF, the Southborough Cultural Arts Council, and the Mass Cultural Council, along with local business sponsors.
