Previous Years’ Ideas

Opening Awareness Day: Event to Come Together for Homelessness, Veterans, Cleanups, and More

Idea:

At Boarding House Park hold a community gathering with roundtables and representatives from different organizations so people can learn more about important causes/issues in Lowell. Some examples: trash awareness, homelessness. Activities like games and making care packages for the homeless, veterans, active duty military, or just families who need it. We can do a treasure [Read more…]

Benefit:

This idea would provide a way to get people who may not usually go to town hall meetings to learn about issues in Lowell while surrounded with fellow neighbors. Encourages intergenerational participation.
Location:

Downtown / JAM, OldIdea.

Temporary Canalwalk Art Brick Trail

Idea:

Working with Lowell National Historical Park and other partners, place 300 bricks or stones painted by 300 community members every few feet along the side of the Canalway walking path behind the Leo Roy garage as a temporary, pop-up art installation. Diverse folks and artists would be invited to paint at various events or pop-up [Read more…]

Benefit:

This Canalwalk is underutilized, and the bricks might pique interest for residents to take the path and discover the beauty of the “Industrial Canyon.” They may come downtown just to see the special path and stop in shops at either end of it. It might inspire a permanent artistic intervention [Read more…]

Location:

Downtown / JAM, OldIdea.

Painted Junction Boxes (or whatever those electrical things are)

Idea:

Hire artists to paint those ugly grey and beige electrical boxes at curbside with colorful, amazing images. Materials needed: paint, dropcloths. Hold an exhibit with ideas, choose the best, pay artists for time and materials.
Benefit:

Beautify our cityscape. Add visual interest, plus its a way for artists to show their work in a nontraditional setting. We could hold a tour of the boxes when the project is completed. Makes Lowell look like the artistic place it is.
Location:

Downtown / JAM, OldIdea.

Painting Electrical Boxes

Idea:

Hire artists to paint grey and beige electrical boxes at curbside with colorful, amazing images. Materials needed: paint, drop cloths. Hold an exhibit with ideas, choose the best, pay artists for time and materials. Maybe make the boxes direct visitors to Lowell sites.
Benefit:

Beautification. Beautify our cityscape. Add visual interest, plus it’s a way for artists to show their work in a nontraditional setting. We could hold a tour of the boxes when the project is completed. Makes Lowell look like the artistic place it is.
Location:

Citywide, OldIdea.

Painting Public Trash Bins

Idea:

Groups and individuals can sign up to paint one of the green metal trashcans that are used in Lowell’s public parks. Artists (new or pros) would be encouraged to feature environmental, Lowell pride, and/or cultural components in the designs. Funds would cover cleaning the bins to start and then supplies for artists. Each bin could [Read more…]

Benefit:

Public art makes people happy! Some people ignore the green trash cans and feel fine putting their trash on the ground. If their attention is caught by a cute or impressive design, they might think twice and throw the trash in the bin. Any artists involved (and everyone they tell [Read more…]

Location:

Citywide, OldIdea.