The Town of Arlington continues its years’ long effort to transform utility boxes that sit on our street corners and sidewalks into unique works of art. These boxes keep our town ticking, holding traffic light controls, cable connections, electric transformers, and more. This year, The Arlington Commission for Arts and Culture invited artists to submit original designs on the theme “As We Turn 250.” We asked artists to consider the issues and people who lived during this revolutionary period. What are their untold stories? And we ask you, too: As we move forward in time, how do we frame the narrative about how liberty and freedom changed our country, and all of our people? . The Arlington Commission for Arts and Culture invited artists to submit original designs on this theme of “Untold Stories.” The selected artists took it from there, making their vision come to life and transforming the dull metal boxes into inspiring pieces of art. The coordination, logistics, and promotion are all handled by Laurie Bogdan, an Arlington artist who has led this effort since 2021.
This project began in 2014, when Arlington Public Art, began commissioning local artists to design and paint some of the many utility boxes on our streets. When ACAC was formed, the commissioners adopted Public Art’s mission and found that this project was a relatively inexpensive and temporary way to improve the streetscape while engaging community members to appreciate the simplicity of accessible public art. All past artists have reported that they enjoyed the experience of painting in public and talking to passersby as they worked. ACAC endeavors to create art for utility boxes each Spring. If you are an artist, please tune in to Arts Arlington early springtime, where we promote a
Call For Artists with a brand new theme!
