Call for Proposals
August 1, 2021 – November 15, 2021

Mission: “Go Out Doors” inspires discovery and exploration of outdoors spaces and trails, and the intersection of place, history, community, spirit, and nature.

What happens if you open the door at the end of challenging times and step outside to reflect and engage with nature, each other, and the past? What might we discover if, on foot or wheel, alone or with friends, we find ourselves on a path through woods, gardens or parks – off the roads we travel daily? What happens if we leave our electronics behind, reconnect with natural settings and inspiring stories? What might we feel? What might change? How can we, as artists, inspire more people as we re-emerge from the pandemic and rediscover the joys of travel, nature, and places like our National Parks?

Go Out Doors @ MMNHP extends The Umbrella’s “Go Out Doors – Neighbors” regional exhibition of artfully upcycled, painted doors installed in towns throughout Battle Road, Metrowest and beyond. We especially seek site specific designs that combine a sense of place and history to bear on contemporary conditions and personal reflection. Non-literal, non-politicized designs that convey inspiration, whimsy, irony, reflection, connection, curiosity, spirituality, traditionally underrepresented perspectives and/or joy are particularly welcomed.

We invite designs for a temporary art installation that are inspired by, respond to, and creatively interpret themes from one of 4 major sites in the Park. While researching each site here are some questions to consider:

The literary families who made The Wayside a famous home of written word and thought influenced and mirrored society as a whole over three centuries, from the Revolutionary War to the Underground Railroad to its gifting to the Park in the 60s. What writing influences your thoughts today? Who came before you in your artistic history? Who will come after? What text from those authors still feels relevant to your life today?
As stewards of history, at Minute Man Visitor Center, we reveal the stories of the past to foster connection and meaning to the present day. Consider the story of Parker’s Revenge, and the Park’s efforts to rediscover its true location. How do you mark the sites of important moments in your life? What personal discovery in your life brought you to a place of greater understanding? Where and for what do you stand and fight?
In Buttrick Garden, people find beauty in their relationship with the outdoors. How do you interact and make meaningful connections with nature? What role do gardens play in your life?
On April 19th, 1775, at Old North Bridge, families and individuals found courage and took action for what they believed in. How do you summon courage and decide what matters to you? What brings your community together and what do you fight for?
Specs:

Standard Doors (@ 30” x 80”) can be provided. Note: most doors will be paneled surface; hollow-core doors are brittle and should be avoided unless necessary for design and reinforced.
Doors must be submitted ready to install – weather-proofed as needed to last the duration of the exhibit. The back side should be painted, even if it is painted a solid color.
Chosen exhibitors will help install doors in Park-approved areas where people can pause and enjoy the art.
Stipend and Park interpreter consultation will be provided to chosen exhibitors. For some past examples, see TheUmbrellaArts.org/Go-

Out-Doors-Neighbors
ABOUT GO OUT DOORS – NEIGHBORS

For Go Out Doors, Minute Man National Historical Park and The Umbrella Arts Center have collaborated once again to share public art inspired by and displayed in our national park. In collaboration with Monkeyhouse, Minute Man National Historical Park’s Curator-in-Residence for 2021, we look forward to expanding Go Out Doors – Neighbors and bringing exciting artistic perspectives into the Park.

Originally inspired by the spring 2020 En Plein Air door installation on NYC’s High Line, Go Out Doors – Neighbors expands on The Umbrella’s summer 2020 installation celebrating the opening of The West Concord section of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. Additional “Go Out Doors” projects were later commissioned and previewed last fall in neighboring Concord Center, and the towns of Arlington and Lexington, and have now blossomed in several more towns celebrating outdoors art and healthful outdoors activities as the region re-emerges from Covid isolation.

Submit via email by July 31, 2021 to [email protected] a letter explaining concepts, a brief bio/resume, contact info, links to websites/exhibitions and/or images of previous work, and up to 3 proposed images, as detailed as possible to get across the concept(s)