Mayor Mitchell Establishes Public Art Committee; Announces New Mural Project

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell has brought together a team of artists and organizations to help foster public art projects throughout the City. Recognizing the importance of public art as a vehicle to promote beautification, neighborhood engagement, community pride and cohesion, Mayor Mitchell and the “New Bedford Public Art Committee,” hope to support more opportunities for local artists to publically display their work.

Today, the New Bedford Public Art Committee is announcing the beginning of a new public mural project that is scheduled to be completed this summer. The mural site will be the North Front Street overpass near the Kenyon Street intersection. Aspiring and professional artists from Greater New Bedford, who wish to contribute to the project, are encouraged to submit an application and mural designs.

North Front Street Mural Flyer (1)

As a gateway to the North End, the Public Art Committee asks artists to consider potential themes such as the International Market Place, New Bedford Pride, and The City that Lit the World. Applications are available at 3rd Eye Unlimited, the Ugly Gallery, the New Bedford Art Museum/Artworks!, the Mayor’s Office and the City of New Bedford website. Artists are invited to submit up to three mural designs by the April 30th deadline. All designs will be reviewed by the Public Art Committee.

The New Bedford Public Art Committee was established as an extension of the Mitchell Administration’s graffiti prevention program, Graffiti Free NB. While the prevention program deters graffiti vandalism by making reporting options easier for citizens, it also seeks to engage local artists and encourage the appropriate use of public space for artwork. Committee members include: Deb Smook from the New Bedford Art Museum/Artworks!, Jennifer DeBarros from 3rd Eye Unlimited, Jeremiah Hernandez from the Ugly Gallery and NB Beautiful, and representatives from the New Bedford Mayor’s Office and the Parks and Recreation Department.

Mayor Mitchell stated, “Enforcement and deterrence are important tools for dealing with graffiti, but engaging the community and increasing spaces for public art is an equally necessary piece of the puzzle. Public art and mural installations are a great way to reduce vandalism in our neighborhoods. If strategically placed, public art can reduce the number of heavily tagged areas, revitalize and uplift a community, and give citizens a greater sense of pride in their City.”

Please contact the Mayor’s Office at 508-979-1410 with any questions regarding the New Bedford Public Art Committee mural project.