Oct. 9, 2019 By Allie Griffin
Local Queens artists have the chance to create an artwork to be displayed in Flushing Meadows Corona Park next summer.
NYC Parks and the Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park have issued a call for art proposals from Queens-based artists for a site-specific artwork to live in the borough’s largest and most iconic park next summer.
A committee of arts professionals and Queens community members, together with NYC Parks and Alliance representatives will choose two winners from the proposals. The winners will receive a $5,000 grant to create their proposed artwork for the park.
The deadline to submit proposals is Dec. 6, 2019. Proposals should be emailed to NYC Parks Art & Antiquities at artandantiquities@parks.nyc.gov with “Alliance for Flushing Meadows Grant” in the subject line.
The committee will announce award recipients in January 2020 and the winning artworks will be installed in the park in June 2020.
Proposals will be judged on artistic and creative merit, response to the surrounding community, suitability to the site and the theme of “Flushing Meadows Corona Park: The World’s Park.”
“We are thrilled to continue working with local artists to activate underused spaces with more cultural programming,” said Janice Melnick, Flushing Meadows Corona Park Administrator and Alliance Executive Director. “This grant program helps us ensure that Flushing Meadow Corona Park continues to serve as both a destination and a beloved resource for the community.”
Possible installation locations include the Meridian Rd. & Meadow Lake Rd. – West Entrance; Roosevelt Ave. Entrance; 111th St. at 49th Ave. Entrance; College Point Blvd. and 58th Rd. Entrance; and the Lawns around Meadow Lake.
The Art in the Parks: Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park Grant is now in its second year. Last year’s winning artists were Yvonne Shortt and Karl Orozco.
Shortt’s “Pavilion Landing” told the story of intergalactic children whose spaceship has landed in the park seeking a ray of hope generated by the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. Orozco’s “Hospicio Cabañas” was a pixelated mosaic created with heirloom corn kernels that depicted the stage for Thunder Hawk, the first Mexican video game character.
More details on the proposal guidelines can be found here.