2023 ArtPath Call to Artists - Lansing Art Gallery

OVERVIEW

Lansing Art Gallery & Education Center is partnering with the City of Lansing for the 6th annual ArtPath River Trail Exhibition. More than two and a half miles of the Lansing River Trail will highlight talented Michigan artists at multiple scenic and historic locations through the heart of downtown Lansing.

On average, over 82,000 visitors enjoyed the River Trail during the duration of ArtPath!

Artwork of all media is eligible, including natural materials, murals, paintings, sculptures, and fiber installations. Artists are responsible for all aspects of the installation and removal of their work including the tools and materials needed.

Individuals or teams are encouraged to create interactive and engaging installations with park visitors. Artists may also submit artwork for multiple sites along the path.

Artists will receive $1,000 for each accepted submission, an artist box filled with ArtPath swag, and publication on our website. This project receives robust recognition from the media.

This application is now closed, stay tuned for more details!

JURORS

Najeema Iman
Lansing, MI

Najeema Iman is a Queens-born, Detroit-bred, Lansing-living creative entrepreneur and self-professed people collector and connector. She firmly believes that the best way to build bridges is to bring 100 percent of your authentic self to the table--everyone deserves a seat. She seeks to be the bridge between community-based organizations and the communities they serve. Gathering people and putting on events has been a passion of Najeema’s for years--from karaoke nights to brunches, bonfires, and pop-up markets, her business Youshine Events & Consulting came out of a progression of passion.

Najeema is the co-founder of Black Lansing with Lorin Cumberbatch which consists of black entrepreneurs, artists, politicians, beauty professionals, and other Lansing community members who stay connected and celebrate each other’s winning moments. She has also acted as the primary event coordinator for the Block Market in partnership with LanArtBus, where she helped organize six minority-focused, socially-responsible pop-up-style markets in Downtown Lansing.

She is a lead market curator and founder of the 2021 Afterglow Market. She has curated vendor markets in partnership with Lansing 5:01 including Dam Jam and the BLOCK:Aid which brought large numbers to the downtown Lansing area for a night of good music, good food, good fun, and good people. She believes in collaboration over competition and continues to curate unique spaces for regional small businesses and artists to connect with new and existing customers.

Mallory Shotwell
Grand Rapids, MI

Executive Director and Founder of Cultivate. Cultivate is an independent, artist-run arts organization based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We offer a contemporary art gallery, fine art education program, and artist resource center. The word Cultivate is an action verb. We do a lot of art, but we also cultivate: Community. Growth. Creativity. Gratitude. Compassion. Joy. Expression. Learning. Seeing. Play. Rest. Experimentation. Calm. Mistake making. Safety. Authenticity. A resilient spirit. Laughter. Meaningful work. Accessibility. Intuition. Kindness. Care.

The Cultivate team is composed of 40+ professional artists, established curators, certified and trained teachers, and industry experts.

Tim Lane
Lansing, MI

Tim Lane is an artist, writer, and poet. Your Silent Face is his first novel. He lives in Lansing, Michigan. Currently, he is an Athletic Specialist and Art Festival Assistant with the City of East Lansing. He is one of the former directors of (SCENE) Metrospace, the City of East Lansing’s contemporary art gallery and performance space. He has a master’s degree in creative writing from Michigan State University. His poetry has appeared in numerous print and online journals and zines, and his paintings have been exhibited in Lansing, East Lansing, Saginaw, Flint, Detroit, Chicago, Southbend, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, and Washington, D.C.

ArtPath 2023 Locations

Site 01

Turner Dodge House

This historic house and grounds are located in the North side of Lansing in the historic neighborhood of Old Town. This site is a great location for a sculpture or installation.

Site 02

The Grassy Knoll

This grassy knoll is just South of the Turner Dodge House in the historic Old Town Neighborhood. This space is just off of the trail and includes a shady area with a bench. This site is an excellent location for a sculpture or installation.

Site 03

Old Town Boardwalk

This long stretch of boardwalk is in the heart of the historic Old Town Neighborhood. The boardwalk and the space under the Cesar Chavez Bridge are available to be reimagined. This boardwalk is a popular area for people to walk, jog, bike and fish.

Site 04

Seating Area on the Old Town Boardwalk

This wooden boardwalk is in the heart of the historic Old Town Neighborhood. This built in seating area comfortably seats two adults and across from a popular fishing spot. This area is a short walk from a staircase that takes pedestrians up to the Old Town neighborhood popular for their restaurants, shops and festivals.

Site 05

Buchard Park - North

This spacious, grassy area houses the Brenke Fish Ladder in the historic Old Town Neighborhood. This park is a great spot for a sculpture or installation and it will be home to two ArtPath works this year.

Site 06

Buchard Park - South

Site 07

Oakland Trail Head

This site is South of Buchard Park and a short walking distance away from the fish ladder. This grassy area is near a trail head and a playground is close by. This highly visible site can be seen from the trail and from the street. This site is a great area to house a sculpture or installation.

Saginaw St. Trail Head

This site is just south of Saginaw St. This grassy area is expansive and there are opportunities to install artwork on either side of the trail. This site is near a trail head, it is filled with mature trees and a has a small bench. This site is the perfect area to house a sculpture or installation.

Site 09

River Front Pathway East

This cement pad is tucked into this lovely park just off of the River Trail across from the river bank that is adjacent to the Adado Riverfront Park which is a popular festival park making this a highly visible site. This spot would be great for a sculpture that could be bolted into the slab.

Site 10

River Front Dock

This wooden dock overlooks the Grand River and the Adado River Front Park. This is in a popular area and close to the newly renovated Rotary Park. This space could be reimagined with an installation, a seating area or more.

Site 11 & 12

Side of the Shiawassee Bridge, West Side

We are crossing the river again this year and continuing to extend ArtPath on the West side of the Grand River. A short walking distance from the beautifully restored 1930's power plant which is now home to the AF group is the Shiawassee Bridge. This location has a large wall that will be divided into two sections. This wall can accommodate two murals.

Sites 13

Grassy Area North of the 496 Bridge

This grassy area is perfect for a sculpture and it has been home to ArtPath sculptures in the past.

Site 14

Under the 496 Bridge

This long wall under the 496 Bridge is home to a number of murals from ArtPath's history. We are seeking a muralist to add one more mural to this collection.

Site 15

Dock Across from the 496 Bridge

This dock overlooks the river and the wall under the 496 bridge which is now filled with ArtPath murals. This space would be a great spot to showcase a sculpture. This spot is highly visible for pedestrians, cyclists and boaters.

Site 16

Elm Park

This large green space is part of a well-loved park frequented by the community. This family-friendly space could be reimagined with a sculpture or installation. An interactive artwork would be ideal.

Site 17

Elm Park Near the Baseball Field

This park is a popular space for families and neighbors! This area has a large, concrete base that is a great space for a sculpture. Due to the fact that this is a popular space for families, an interactive sculpture or installation would be a great fit for this site.

Site 18

Grassy Area Near Elm St. & Cedar St.

This large grassy site houses large, mature, shade trees and two benches. This site is visible from the trail and from the street. This site has hosted an installation and a large scale sculpture in the past. How would you reimagine this site?

Site 19

Under the Elm St. Bridge

This wall was home to one of our first ArtPath sites. This wall is available for a new mural. This wall has interesting architecture that could be celebrated with a mural.

Site 20

Under the Beach St. Bridge

This wall was home to one of our first ArtPath sites in 2018. This wall is available for a new mural. The height of this wall is shorter than some of the others so a ladder most likely won't be needed to paint this wall.

Site TBD

Submit A Site

Is there a site on the Lansing River Trail that you would like to submit art for but don't see on our website? Share the site with us including an image, the location, and a description of the space and how you are reimagining it.

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

Previous ArtPath Installations

ARTPATH 2022 EXHIBIT

04---Botanical-Geometry- A collection of colorful painted panels consisting of vertical and horizontal geometric shapes staggered in a grassy field.

Sculpture by Doug DeLind titled Contemplating

artpath21-sponsors-lansing-art-gallery-100

Sponsor - City of Lansing - Parks and Recreation

WANT TO WORK WITH US?