City seeking artists for utility box art

The City of Willoughby recently issued a “call for artists,” seeking candidates for artwork that will be displayed on electric utility boxes owned by the city.

Artists will be designing visual art for 12 utility boxes, according to Parks and Recreation Director Judean Banker. Although specific locations haven’t been identified yet, two boxes from each of Willoughby’s six wards will be selected.

Banker said that the project is open to visual art.

“There really isn’t (criteria),” she said. “We’re not telling them it has to be an outdoor mural. It could be whatever they want it to be. It just has to be

presentable for audiences; no copyrighted images.”

A call for artists was advertised by the city recently. The deadline for art submissions is April 19.

Artists will not paint or design the boxes directly, Banker said. Accepted art pieces will be copied onto vinyl, unlike similar artwork in other communities.

“So basically, they’re going to give us their picture,and we are going to have that created into a vinyl wrap,” she explained. “So it’s going to be a vinyl wrap on the box with their image.”

Banker said that the project idea came from a friend, Derek Schroeder, the Parks and Recreation director for Twinsburg.

“But in their community, they actually paint them,” Banker said. “They don’t do the wraps. He just said that a couple (times) a year, someone will call and say ‘I’m interested’ and then

“So basically, they’re going to give us their picture, and we are going to have that created into a vinyl wrap. So it’s going to be a vinyl wrap on the box with their image.” — Parks and Recreation Director Judean Banker

they ask for their artwork and what they want to put on the boxes, and then they go from there. If they like it, they use it, if they don’t, then they don’t use it.”

Vinyl wraps last about four to seven years, according to Banker.

She also added that “it’s less maintenance” and that a private company will be installing the vinyl wraps.

Banker and Mayor Bob Fiala said that the Willoughby Arts Collaborative is also involved.

“All the members of that have a connection somewhere, so they have put it out to their connections also,” Banker said, concerning the call for artists.

“With Tom Thielman (the economic development director) and the Willoughby Arts Collaborative, we’re jointly preparing this call for artists,” said Fiala, who added that each artist will be commissioned $100 to cover their work on the box.

Banker mentioned that the initial response has been significant.

“So far from our Facebook post... a lot of people have come forward saying they’re interested in doing it,” she said. “And, we just would like our Willoughby residents, or if you have some type of a connection to Willoughby, we want to know what your connection is to Willoughby and why you want to do it for us; why you want your art to be visible in Willoughby.”

Banker said that the artwork is expected to be installed the week of June 3.