International Art to Adorn West Ward, Downtown This Summer

The Easton Planning Commission got an update on the urban arts exhibit that will adorn Downtown and the West Ward for five months beginning in May.

A $200,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts will pay for the 16 finalist artists' work to be displayed through October in various locations in the two city districts. The arts presentation is a collaboration between the city and Lafayette College, who applied for the grant.

The exhibit, which will be installed in various locations around the two adjacent districts is scheduled to officially open on May 7.

“It's a date coordinated with the opening of the (Easton) Farmer's Market,” said City Planning Director Becky Bradley. “It will stay on display throughout the summer until October, and then it will disappear.”

Williams Center for the Arts Director H. Ellis Finger told commissioners the story of the project's beginnings. The idea was almost deemed infeasible as most of the exhibit will take place outside of Lafayette's regular academic year, Finger said, but because it seemed unlikely in the face of much competition they would actually be awarded the funding, it was decided it was worth applying.

“We thought we'd give it the old college try, never thinking we'd actually win,” Finger said. “We found out last June that against all odds we'd been awarded $200,000.”

Seventy-two artists from 14 countries submitted proposals, and 40 have been selected by Lucienne Di Biase Dooley, the exhibits curator, as semi-finalists. Fourteen local artists have also applied. Organizers said they were very impressed with the submissions, and that the range of the submissions' origins made for a good mix to choose from.

Finger said public input will be taken on February 28, March 1 and March 2 to ultimately choose 16 artists to execute their proposals. Likely, public opinion will be considered at meetings at the State Theatre, Lafayette's Williams Center and the Arts Community of Easton general meeting on the 2nd. The final winners will likely be made public on March 5, he added.

“I think the quality of the work we've received exceeded all expectations,” said Bradley. She added that she expects the project will have longer-reaching implications for the city than just a few months. “At the end of the day, this is going to be fabulous. It will change the way people see the city.”

The urban arts festival organizers will likely be back in front of planning commissioners next month, as the outdoor installation sites will need their formal final approval.