THE UTILITY BOX CORRIDOR MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
On the success of 2016 Utility Box Program, Alberta Printmakers is happy to be part of this program for a second year. This year, in conjunction with Loft112, 2 lead artists are working together to produce imagery for 9 utility boxes in the Kensington area of Calgary. Lead print artist is Marek Pospiech and Lead Literary Artist Caitlynn Cummings are working with 10 mentees to develop imagery and text for the project in the Kensington Area.
Marek and Caitlynn have organised a series of workshops for the artist mentees in the studio of Alberta Printmakers, and Loft 112 to explore suitable screenprint, linocut and stenciling techniques to paste on the boxes. A series of community engagement events were organised as well, to generate concepts and ideas for imagery on the boxes.
They are transforming stories from Kensington, Hillhurst and Sunnyside into text and imagery fior nine boxes in the Kensington area.
Participating artist mentees are:
Jacqueline Huskisson, Mark Eadie, Helen Young, Jack Bride, My-An Ngugen, Nikki Sheppy, Andrew Tarrant, Emily Cargan, Emily Ursuliak, and Jarett Lee Sitter
The Utility Box Program started in 2010 as a pilot project initiated by The City of Calgary Roads. Initially conceived as a highly successful graffiti abatement measure, widespread popularity enabled the program to grow and become permanent in 2011. The City is now expanding the opportunity to include community partners and engage more artists and citizens. Since 2010, over 100 utility box public artworks have been created by local artists throughout Calgary. In 2015 the program took a corridor approach to create a stronger presence in the communities.
