BU Site-Specific Artist in Residency

A dream for public art and fair artist's work

It's no secret that Boston lacks public art and it's no secret that artists struggle in current economic systems. That's why last year, I embarked on a somewhat crazy quest to raise enough money for a site-specific artist in residency program at Boston University that incorporated fair labor practices into the process. I would call it the Bringing Art to BU Initiative.

I was told I was never going to make it happen. It was said that there is too much inertia or that the idea is too far-reaching. That nobody would agree to fully pay an artist for their work, that nobody would sign a contract for the artist to retain creative rights and resale commission for the work, or be able to lead so many public art projects to completion.

Well, I, and the countless others who helped me along the way, proved them wrong.

With hours of work, a bit of luck, and the support of those who believed in me and my vision, I developed five project ideas, created and proved that a fair artist contract works, and completed four artworks that bring vitality to forgotten spaces, and I raised $12,500 to support it all.

While this hasn't developed into the yearly artist residency that I hoped it would become, in the past year alone, I have seen an immense amount of work by talented and creative artists who are pursuing their own artistic visions. I'm so glad that I could be part of this process. And as always, for fellow artists interested in the process, please reach out to me! I want to share what I have learned.