Nondescript electrical boxes on utility poles along Pratt Street in Baltimore will get a new look from 10 artists or groups chosen to turn them into works of art.
Mayor Brandon Scott on Thursday announced the winners of the “Downtown RISE Electrical Box Art Competition,” also called the “Wrap the Box” competition, launched by the Mayor’s Office and the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore to find artists to dress up electrical boxes that are usually overlooked as drab pieces of public infrastructure.
It’s the latest twist on bringing art to city streets, after local artist Juliet Ames started a trend of painting the yellow salt boxes that are installed on city street corners every winter. It follows an earlier effort to brighten electrical boxes along portions of Charles Street just before Baltimore’s Artscape festival last year.
“This project is more than an aesthetic enhancement; it’s a bold step towards reimagining our urban landscape as a canvas for creativity and innovation,” says an unattributed announcement posted on the city’s website. “By transforming electrical boxes along Pratt Street from Howard to Market [Place] into stunning works of art, we are not just lighting up the city; we’re showcasing a cultural movement and the role artists and creatives play in Baltimore’s future.”
The initiative began in January, when the Mayor’s Office and the Downtown Partnership put out a call for artists who would like to decorate electrical boxes along Pratt Street by wrapping them with works of vinyl art. City officials say the project is “part of a series of immediate actions aimed at bolstering our commitment to the arts and cultural scene.”
The theme of the Pratt Street competition was “Baltimore heroes and icons,” and artists were told they’ll receive $500 per electrical box. According to the mayor’s announcement, installation of the artists’ designs will begin this week.
“This project is a call to explore, engage, and appreciate the heart of our city through the lens of art,” the announcement said. “We encourage everyone to take a walk along Pratt Street, experience the power of public art, and, most importantly, show your support for our local artists by sharing your love for their work on social media.”
The selected winners and the locations where they will work are:
- Creative Nomads at Pratt and Howard streets.
- Elizabeth Miller at Pratt and Hanover streets.
- Ivy Rose Smith at Pratt and Sharp streets.
- Krittika Mittal at Pratt and Charles streets.
- Kris Johnson at Pratt and Light streets.
- Bolton Collective at Pratt and Calvert streets.
- Brianna McKay at Pratt and South streets.
- Adrienne Price at Pratt and Commerce streets.
- Siobhan Vicens at Pratt and Gay streets.
- Michael Kirby at Pratt Street and Market Place.
The “Wrap the Box” competition is one of two launched this winter by the Scott administration and its Office of Arts and Culture. The city also issued a request for qualifications from artists interested in painting portraits of five mayors who aren’t currently represented with portraits in the Hyman Aaron Pressman Board Room on the second floor of City Hall.
The portrait-less mayors are: Sheila Dixon; Stephanie Rawlings-Blake; Catherine Pugh; Bernard “Jack” Young; and Scott. The city has budgeted $20,000 per portrait to cover all artist fees, materials and associated costs.
According to Tonya Miller Hall, Senior Advisor of Arts and Culture in the Mayor’s Office, approximately 150 artists met the Feb. 19 deadline for expressing interest in painting mayoral portraits. She said a selection committee has been formed to review the responses and the names of the chosen artists will be announced after the review is complete.
