Beverly Artist-In-Resident Program Celebrates Grand Opening

BEVERLY, MA —The Beverly Arts District officially kicked off its city Artist-in-Residence program on Friday as Jennifer and Brian Gubizca — collectively known as Zooguu — began their residency in the space at 285 Cabot Street.

The residency pilot program is designed to help the city recover from the coronavirus crisis by bringing more pedestrian traffic downtown and supporting the local creative workforce.

"We believe establishing this annual Artist-in-Residence Program will heighten community appreciation and love of arts and culture and help strengthen our downtown economy," Beverly Mayor Michael Cahill said.

Zooguu will use arts and culture to highlight the city's COVID recovery through handmade art pieces, community engagement and creative activities that support other downtown businesses.

“The Beverly Arts District, and the arts and culture industry as a whole, has been significantly impacted by COVID-19," Beverly Planning Director and Project Manager Darlene Wynne said. "Zooguu, as the Artist-in-Residence, will be an essential component in helping to bring people
back to enjoy downtown Beverly in a safe way."

Zooguu will operate out of the Cabot Street location, where Chianti is temporarily closed, through Oct. 31. The studio will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

Jennifer Gubicza calls their artwork "cute, vibrant and full of fun" and said she is thrilled to bring that energy and spark to the project's kickoff.

The program includes a Beverly Creature Quest — an art-based scavenger hunt of Gubicza's fiber art sculptures, which will be placed in local businesses — a pop-up storefront showcasing Zooguu's work and providing a space for community art-making, and the fabrication of a community art quilt celebrating Beverly that Brian Gubicza will design and Jennifer Gubicza will sew.

"We can't wait to see the art we'll make together," Jennifer Gubicza said.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)