Greater Waterbury Big Read

Issues Call For Artists

WATERBURY — The Greater Waterbury Big Read is searching for talented artists to participate in a juried art show hosted by Freight Street Gallery that will run Saturday, April 10, through Sunday, May 9.

Artists are invited to submit original works inspired by the novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines, and which depict their favorite passage from the book. The top three artists whose work best represents their chosen passage will receive a cash prize and their works will be on display at the Mattatuck Museum Arts & History Center from April 17 through May 9.

Jurors are Mattatuck Museum curator Cynthia Roznoy, PhD; Artwell director of communications Pam Bogart, and Freight Street Gallery curator Dustin Byrne. Space is limited and interested artists should register no later than Friday, March 26, at FreightStreetGallery.com/JuriedShow or by calling Michael Byrne at 203-993-2685.

The show will open at Freight Street Gallery with a reception on Saturday, April 10, from 7 to 10 pm, with live music by Renard Boissiere.

Located at 170 Freight Street in Waterbury, Freight Street Gallery’s mission is to provide a venue to advance contemporary art and music through collaborative exhibitions. Artists may submit up to three pieces, ready for display, in any media. Dimensions of two-dimensional work may not exceed two feet by three feet, and three-dimensional work may not exceed three by four feet.  Three-dimensional work must be fully assembled.

Entry fees are $15 per piece for artists ($30 for three works) and $10 per piece for students ($20 for three). Freight Street Gallery relies on artists to ensure that the gallery is open to the public, and a 2½ hour sitting slot or $10 additional fee is also required.  Accepted work should be hand delivered to Freight Street Gallery on Sunday, April 4.

The Big Read Juried Art Show is one of 21 events created to encourage community members to come together to read, discuss and celebrate the novel A Lesson Before Dying. These events bring the novel to life and allow readers to consider and share the central question posed by the author: “Knowing we’re going to die, how should we live?”

An initiative of the NEA, The Big Read is designed to restore reading to the center of American culture, and is presented in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. Support for The Big Read is provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and transportation is provided by Ford.