FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 19, 2024
Contact: Edwina Klünder eakluender@gmail.com 617-888-5859
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New Bedford Creative Opens Call for Proposals for 2025 Seaport Art Walk
“Revolution/Evolution” will celebrate New Bedford’s Legacy of Change and Innovation
NEW BEDFORD, MA — New Bedford Creative invites artists locally, regionally and nationally to submit proposals for the 2025 Seaport Art Walk, set to transform New Bedford’s waterfront and Seaport Cultural District into an immersive outdoor art experience celebrating this year’s theme: “Revolution/Evolution.”
Exploring New Bedford’s rich history as a hub of revolution and innovation, this year’s Art Walk theme honors the city’s unique role in shaping American history and culture – through industry, arts, social justice, and countless contributions to civil rights, finance, and scientific advancement.
Rooted in New Bedford’s powerful past, from the original land stewardship of the Wampanoag peoples to the city’s significant roles in whaling, textile innovation, and the Abolitionist movement, “Revolution/Evolution” seeks to inspire works that connect to both transformative and enduring elements of New Bedford’s story.
Inspiration can be found in figures like Massasoit Ousamequin, Martha Bailey Briggs, Paul Cuffe, Eliza Bierstadt, Cecil Clark Davis, Mary “Polly” Johnson, Frederick Douglass, Hetty Green, and William H. Carney. Each of them and countless others have left enduring legacies in the city with innovations spanning Lewis Temple’s toggle harpoon to Henry Martyn Robert’s Robert’s Rules of Order and pivotal contributions to the Underground Railroad.
This year’s Art Walk aligns with MA250, Massachusetts’ commemoration of 250 years as the birthplace of Liberty, and encourages works that shine a light on historically underrepresented voices – particularly the stories of the Black and African diasporas and Indigenous communities who have long contributed to the region’s cultural landscape.
Proposals must creatively interpret this year’s theme by examining revolution as rapid transformation and evolution as gradual development, revealing the interplay and examining the juxtaposition between these forces in the city’s past, present, and future. This year’s featured works will carefully consider both sides of the theme, contributing to the ever-evolving story of New Bedford.
Proposals are due by Sunday, February 23, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST, with notifications sent to artists by March 21, 2025. To learn more visit newbedfordcreative.org/seaport-art-walk.
The 2025 Seaport Art Walk Funding Opportunities are:
- New Artwork Proposals: Up to $2,500 per artwork
- Existing Artwork Proposals: Up to $1,000 per artwork
- NEW THIS YEAR: Featured Digital Photography: Up to $250
Join us in celebrating New Bedford’s legacy of revolution and evolution through the powerful language of public art.
The Seaport Art Walk, established in 2013 by artist and curator Jessica Bregoli-Sparling, is New Bedford’s first large-scale outdoor public art installation. Each summer, sculptures and murals enliven New Bedford’s vibrant Seaport Cultural District, telling the city’s stories along its working waterfront. This public art series is curated by New Bedford Creative in partnership with the New Bedford Creative Consortium, the New Bedford Economic Development Council, and many valued collaborators.
About New Bedford Creative:
New Bedford Creative, an initiative housed at the New Bedford Economic Development Council, strives to amplify the city’s cultural voice, supporting projects that contribute to New Bedford’s vibrant artistic community. The Seaport Art Walk is supported by the New Bedford Cultural Council, the Mass Cultural Council, the City of New Bedford’s Arts, Culture and Tourism Fund, Bristol County Savings Bank, and the Barr Foundation.
Photo description: A crowd gathers around “If You Know How To Read The Stars, You’ll Never Be Lost,” a piece created by artist Boston Maki for the 12th Annual Seaport Art Walk in downtown New Bedford on Thursday, July 11, 2024.
Photo credit: Josh Souza