September 16, 2019
The City of South Bend has received a grant from the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County to launch a public sculpture pilot. The $5,000 ArtsEverywhere Matching Grant will be used to install public sculptures in the three roundabouts located on Michigan Street at Bartlett and Marion Streets, and Chippewa Avenue. Each roundabout is already equipped with a concrete base in the center to host public art.
The City collaborated with the South Bend Museum of Art to select Fr. Austin Collins for this pilot. Fr. Collins, a renowned artist and professor of sculpture at the University of Notre Dame, will loan sculptures to the City for a minimum of one year. Fr. Collins specializes in public art and large outdoor sculpture. His work has been featured in more than 130 exhibitions in numerous cities across the country.
The pilot allows the City to test the scale of public sculptures in the roundabouts. The City intends to launch a rotating art exhibit of public sculpture in the roundabouts with local and regional artists in the future, after the completion of the pilot program. Public art adds color and vibrancy to a community, ignites imaginations and creates conversations. It also enhances quality of life through a sense of place.
The sculptures are expected to be installed in the roundabouts in the coming days.
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