PRESS RELEASE Contact: James Dyment E-mail: director@thebrush.org The Brush Art Gallery & Studios 256 Market Street, Lowell, MA 01852 Gallery Hours: April 1 to December 31– Tues-Sat 11am-4 pm, Sun 12 noon – 4 pm www.thebrush.org 978-459-7819 Exhibit runs: May 7, 2015 to June 10, 2016 Reception: June 5, 2 to 4 PM LOWELL NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK CELEBRATES CENTENNIAL WITH A NATIONAL CALL FOR ENTRIES Exhibit Title — “Telling America’s Stories: Celebrating 100 Years of the National Park Service” Lowell, MA – The National Park Service turns 100 years old on August 25, 2016! In celebration of the centennial, Brush Art Gallery and Studios in partnership with Lowell National Historical Park is seeking entries of contemporary art for a juried exhibit, to be held at the Brush Art Gallery in Lowell, Massachusetts from May 7 – June 10, 2016. Help us commemorate the visionaries who came before us, their groundbreaking ideas, the amazing places the National Park Service manages, and the powerful and significant stories they collectively tell. Storytelling has been a part of our shared cultural heritage for generations. It brings people together, imprints pictures on their minds, and fosters meaningful connections with history, culture, and the natural world around us. The unique treasures that make up our beloved National Park Service are as diverse as we are; from historic homes, trails, battlefields, and cemeteries to bustling urban centers, canal ways, recreation areas, and seashores. This rich variety has created a portfolio of over 400 parks. In response to the NPS Centennial “Find Your Park” campaign, we are seeking artworks that illustrate these unique stories, whether they are specifically about place, the people and events they commemorate, or your personal connection and experience in any one of them. The national parks offer the ultimate stimulus for creative expression… so show us what “Telling American Stories: Celebrating 100 Years of the National Park Service” means to you! The winner of “Best in Show” will receive a $500 prize. Where you can see the full prospectus: http://thebrush.org/PDFgallery.htm PANEL OF JURORS • Laurel A. Racine, Senior Curator for Research and Planning, National Park Service’s Northeast Museum Services Center (NMSC), Charlestown, MA. • Ahmad Ward, Vice President of Education and Exhibitions, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI), Birmingham, AL. • Gwen Strahle, Artist, Professor, and Senior Critic at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Providence, RI. The Brush Art Gallery and Studios is located in the Lowell National Historical Park across the courtyard from the Visitor Center. This dynamic and captivating place was originally founded by the Lowell Historic Preservation Commission, U.S. Department of the Interior in 1982. The Brush presents museum quality exhibitions, educational programs, and has collaborated with many other nonprofit groups. Artists occupy studio spaces to interact with and educate the public on a weekly basis. Currently, fourteen studio artists produce paintings, illustration, photography, jewelry, sculpture, ceramics, quilts, and handwoven items. Associate artists display work in the common area. The Brush Art Gallery and Studios is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization. The Brush is supported by Lowell National Historical Park and Eastern National. Lowell National Historical Park is a unique urban national park, founded in 1978, dedicated to preserving and exploring Lowell’s continuing history as the nation’s first large-scale manufacturing city. The park works in partnership with community organizations, local residents, and visitors to tell stories of technology, labor, immigration, women’s rights, and the industrial economy in Lowell and beyond. Over 500,000 visitors annually to Lowell National Historical Park visit museum sites, participate in interactive canal and trolley tours, view operating textile machinery, participate in hands-on family programs, attend special events, and more. For more information, please visit: http://www.nps.gov/lowe. Images: Lowell National Historical Park Logo, Centennial Logo ### Jim Dyment Executive Director The Brush Art Gallery & Studios 256 Market St, Lowell, MA 01852 director@thebrush.org www.thebrush.org |
