New Artist-In-Residence Program For Downtown Columbia

The Howard Hughes Corporation, in collaboration with the Howard County Arts Council, announces the launch of the Merriweather District Artist-in-Residence (MD AIR) program in Downtown Columbia, MD. The Call for Entry for prospective participants is being disseminated nation-wide.

Three artists will be selected from submitted entries and provided a stipend of $10,000 each to spend up to two months, from June 1-July 31, 2018, creating work in a medium of their choosing. Studio space will be provided in the Two Merriweather, a new office building in Downtown Columbia’s Merriweather District. Residential accommodations will be provided within walking distance.

The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages and develops commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate in 14 states, including Maryland, where it is developing Downtown Columbia. For more information, visit www.howardhughes.com/properties/downtown-columbia.

“The Howard Hughes Corporation is transforming a suburban downtown into a dense, vibrant urban core that celebrates Culture and Commerce,” said Regional President John E. DeWolf. “We invite artists to propose a project that captures their vision of the personality of this new urban center.”

Downtown Columbia includes the iconic Merriweather Post Pavilion, which is undergoing a $50 million renovation and expansion. The Chrysalis amphitheatre nearby was dedicated last Spring. A performing and visual arts center is also being planned for the Merriweather District.

In October 2017, the OPUS 1 festival took over the Pavilion, the Chrysalis and the surrounding woodlands for an evening of art, music and technology in the forest, attracting almost 16,000 people. OPUS 1’s large scale art installations, mesmerizing music performances and treetop project mapping signaled the Merriweather District’s future as a cultural hub. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/opusmerriweather/videos/271679166668520/

The MD AIR program for 2018 will be the first in what will be an annual program to provide an opportunity for artists to spend two months in the midst of this evolving urban center at the vanguard of walkable communities that both nurture and catalyze creativity, vibrancy and equity. Works by selected MD AIR artists will be considered for inclusion in the second annual OPUS, scheduled for October 2018.

Artists are encouraged to focus on the relationship between art and technology in responding to the MD AIR Call for Entry.

MD AIR applications will remain open until April 7, 2018. For further information and to apply, visit www.hocoarts.submittable.com.

Image via Shutterstock.