Salem Public Art Project Receives Social Advocacy Award
SALEM, MA – The City of Salem and several partners, including the North Shore Community Development Coalition (NSCDC), Point Neighborhood Association (PNA), and artist Ruben Ubiera were selected by The American Planning Association - Massachusetts Chapter (APA-MA) to receive the Social Advocacy Award for a project completed last month to artistically paint two colorful crosswalks that connect Salem’s Point neighborhood and with the City’s downtown.
The public art project was designed and painted by south Florida based artist Ruben Ubiera on November 5th with assistance from several volunteers in the community. Crosswalks were painted at Dodge Street and Peabody Street respectively, where they intersect with Lafayette Street. The project was funded by a Transformative Development Initiative Placemaking grant awarded to the City by MassDevelopment.
The APA-MA awards program is co‑sponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Planning Directors (MAPD) and occurs on an annual basis. The Social Advocacy Award is awarded to a program, project, group or individual indicating a high level of advocacy planning on behalf of those in need. Evaluation criteria for the nominated projects include:
- Innovation - Introduction of an original concept or refinement of an existing technique or procedure.
- Quality - Excellence of thought, analysis, writing, graphics and ethical planning principles.
- Transferability - Applicability to other areas or projects.
- Implementation - Effectiveness of the project as evidenced by activity after completion.
- Comprehensiveness - Thoroughness of the project or program.
This is the second time in three years that the City will receive an APA-MA Social Advocacy Award. It received the award in 2013 for the development of the Point Neighborhood Vision and Action Plan, a project on which it also worked with NSCDC, PNA, and several other stakeholder partners. The Plan enumerates several visions and actions related to improving the quality of life in the Point, including an action to “promote a vibrant Point neighborhood to residents and visitors by improving signs, landscaping, and public art to make the Point a more welcoming place.” The crosswalk project aligns directly with this action.
“Receiving a social advocacy award from APA-MA for the crosswalk painting project is further validation of Salem’s commitment to vibrant public art, place-making, and breaking down barriers between the Point neighborhood and the rest of our community,” said Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll.
Mickey Northcutt, CEO of the North Shore Community Development Coalition said that “this project tapped into the energy and enthusiasm of our community - young, old and everyone in between, people from the Point and everywhere else, and people who have lived here their whole lives and new immigrants. Nothing is more representative of Salem, and when we all start working together, the magic really starts to happen.”
The crosswalks were created by Ruben Ubiera, a renowned artist who has been commissioned for murals and other large-scale public art installations around the nation. Ubiera works with bright colors and detailed designs to create a Postgraffism or urban-pop styled pieces. Originally from the Dominican Republic, his family moved to Salem when they immigrated to the United States in the 1990’s. A former resident of the Point neighborhood and a graduate from Salem High School, this was Ubiera's first installation in Salem. Ubiera now resides in South Florida.
“My work often engages the community, bringing art to those who might not usually experience art, at the same time that voices my diverse experiences as an immigrant,” wrote Ubiera. “A building cannot be raised without a strong foundation, the same goes for a community.”
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Photo (Credit: John Andrews, Creative Salem): Artist Ruben Ubiera (front, right) puts the finishing touches on crosswalk art at Dodge Street and Lafayette Street in Salem as volunteers and community members observe.