Blank Book Bench before getting its creative touch from a Kentucky-based artist
Lexington is uniting Kentucky-based artists and book lovers in an unprecedented way with the forthcoming public art project Book Benches. The project, the result of a creative collaboration between LexArts, Arts Connect and The Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning, aims to celebrate Kentucky’s literary heritage, encourage reading and increase support for public art.
Building upon the success and community support of past projects like Horse Mania and The Bourbon Barrel Project, 35 book-shaped benches will be installed throughout the city of Lexington in 2018 with the help of local artists.
Organizers have issued a call for local artists to submit designs based on their personal interpretation of a work written by a Kentucky author. Artists must submit bench sketches featuring four angles - front, back and both sides - as well as a statement explaining their book selection and what materials they intend to use. Additionally, applicants are being asked to include a resume and five digital images of their most recent work.
The fiberglass benches, which will be mounted on concrete bases with plaques that recognize the artist, book, author and sponsor, will be publicly displayed for six months before being auctioned off during an event at The Livery in November 2018.
The participating artists will receive 10% of the net proceeds from the live auctions of their benches and the remainder of the proceeds will go to further the missions of Arts Connect, LexArts and The Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning.
Application packets must be submitted to the LexArts office by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 31. The call to artists can be found online here, and more information on the projec can be found at bookbencheslex.org.