Calling all artists.
The city launched an open call Friday to design an installation addressing the impact of rising sea levels on the coastal community of Red Hook.
Four years after the flooding from Hurricane Sandy devastated Red Hook residents and businesses, Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Councilman Carlos Menchaca announced a $20,000 grant for a temporary art commission to commemorate the anniversary.
Applications are being accepted through Earth Day — April 22 — and the Department of Cultural Affairs will convene an advisory committee of local arts organizations, community representatives, youth representatives, and city agency partners to review applications.
The work’s aim is to inform and engage residents about the continuing challenges posed by climate change and rising sea levels, city officials said. The winning artist or team should also engage local youth in the design process as a way to tap into the community vision to imagine the future of the neighborhood.
Officials added that the installation should resonate with people of diverse backgrounds within the Red Hook and beyond, and it should be durable and require little or no maintenance.
“Adapting to climate change requires thinking beyond technical solutions, and community-driven art is a powerful way to engage and empower the next generation in thinking creatively about how to envision the future of their neighborhood,” Jainey Bavishi, director of the Mayor’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency, said in a statement.
For the arts submission, the city is encouraging artists from all disciplines to vie for the grant, enabling them to work collaboratively with residents.
Possible locations for the installation include Valentino Park, Coffey Park, Deptartment of Transportation sites like medians, concrete areas on Halleck and Columbia streets, or privately-owned spaces that are open to the public.
The community will be able to vote on at least five finalists at a public meeting in late spring, with an installation anticipated in late summer 2017.
