*This call is now completed. View our selected artists here.
Springfield Cultural Partnership and The Springfield Museums request proposals for public art installations in the Springfield Central Cultural District at the newly renovated Pynchon Plaza.
FREE LIBRARY BOX: The placement of the Free Library Box will be located at 75 Dwight Street under the overhang in front of the Police Substation next door to Pynchon Plaza. The Springfield City Library will help populate the free library box for community members to “take one leave one”.
PYNCHON PARK SIGNS: Two signs will welcome visitors with park identification and brief information about the history of Pynchon Plaza, the City’s Pynchon Plaza 2020 redevelopment and collective artists’/artwork installations. One sign will be located at the Pynchon Plaza entrance on Dwight Street; the second sign shall be located at the entrance to Pynchon Plaza on Chestnut Street closest to the elevator pathway.
UTILITY ART: Drain covers located throughout Pynchon Plaza will be used for small murals and artful design. There are 6 flat drain covers and 4 domed drain covers. The theme of literacy, Springfield icons, directional art leading toward the Springfield Museums, Springfield Main Library and Main Street’s Springfield Central Cultural District should be considerations.
FENCING: An artistic installation will be installed on the face of the fence covering the utilities boxes. The artwork can be a mural or mosaic, or made out of fiber or other weaving materials that can sustain the weather.
MOSAICS: The location of the mosaic will be the Residential Property wall across Pynchon Plaza from and directly facing the Police Substation. An optional location is next to the elevator’s bottom level at the Dwight Street entrance. Panels will be framed and installed by the City of Springfield Parks Department by bolting to the concrete wall.
3D SCULPTURE FOR PEDESTALS: There are four pedestals that are open for 3D art installations; Three of them are seventy-one in diameter and one of them is forty-seven inches in diameter. Art can be sculpture, mosaic, solar lighting, sound sculpture, or other mediums of visual art.
SOUND SCULPTURE: Sound sculpture examples can be found outside of the Springfield Museum’s Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts and at https://acousticarts.org.uk/. Desirable locations are at the edges of flower beds within Pynchon Plaza.
ARTFUL SEATING: Artistic seating design will be placed between the Police Substation located at 75 Dwight Street and Pynchon Plaza. Playful and artful designs that act as a community gathering space are encouraged.
NEWS COVERAGE
MassLive: Art proposals sought for renovated Pynchon Plaza (photo gallery)
Channel 22, MassAppeal: Contribute Art and help work toward the beautification of Pynchon Plaza (video)
MassLive: Pynchon Plaze Reopens After Renovation (photo gallery)
MassLive: Springfield get $100,000 grant from National Endowment for the Arts (photo gallery)
Channel 22, News: Pynchon Plaza Reopening (video)

Watch the video above for additional information about the locations available for each installation.
DOWNLOAD THE FULL CALL FOR ART DOCUMENT WITH APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS.