The first Public Art Station went up in the fall of 2013 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Influenced by the work of Candy Chang, Music For Everyone's Keys for the City Program and creatives in and around Lancaster, the first Station sought to create an opportunity for neighbors and friends to tap into the perspective-changing power of creative endeavor. With a few fence posts, lengths of bamboo, finger-knitted yarn and a bunch of clothes pins, The World's Smallest Public Art Station was born. Until July of 2016 it was also the world's largest.
While a majority of the works created at The World's Smallest Public Art Station have been done in watercolor, the Station has also been a chalk art and poetry station and more than 4,000 works have been produced at The Station since it hit the street. An eleven-year-old artist came up with the idea to move to watercolors and other young artists have also played a part in shaping the vision for Public Art Stations in general.
Since its inception, the Lancaster Station has become more than just a place to express one's creativity. It is a place to meet neighbors (new and familiar), for families to spend time together and to send out good vibes to the community. Depending on its location, each Station reflects the unique character of the neighborhood where it stands.
Public Art Stations are examples of Productive Public Art whereby the public is control of content. Certainly, the media available is chosen by a curator, but Stations allow each individual artist to construct meaning and make their own choices about their work.
As of July 2018 there are six Public Art Stations on the planet. There is one in Columbia, Pennsylvania; three in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; one in Newport, Pennsylvania and one in Portland, Oregon. Check out a map of the stations here.
Temporary Stations have been included in several special events: the Lancaster City Public Art Report Unveiling Celebration (2016), an invitational show at Zoetropolis Art House Cinema (2017), the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts Governor's Arts Awards (2017), Lancaster County Conservancy's Lancaster Water Week (2018), Music Friday (2018), Lancaster Pride (2018), Celebrate Lancaster (2018) and Musser Park's 4th of July Celebration (2018). Look for the Station at Binns Park in Lancaster for the African Festival on September 30.
While a majority of the works created at The World's Smallest Public Art Station have been done in watercolor, the Station has also been a chalk art and poetry station and more than 4,000 works have been produced at The Station since it hit the street. An eleven-year-old artist came up with the idea to move to watercolors and other young artists have also played a part in shaping the vision for Public Art Stations in general.
Since its inception, the Lancaster Station has become more than just a place to express one's creativity. It is a place to meet neighbors (new and familiar), for families to spend time together and to send out good vibes to the community. Depending on its location, each Station reflects the unique character of the neighborhood where it stands.
Public Art Stations are examples of Productive Public Art whereby the public is control of content. Certainly, the media available is chosen by a curator, but Stations allow each individual artist to construct meaning and make their own choices about their work.
As of July 2018 there are six Public Art Stations on the planet. There is one in Columbia, Pennsylvania; three in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; one in Newport, Pennsylvania and one in Portland, Oregon. Check out a map of the stations here.
Temporary Stations have been included in several special events: the Lancaster City Public Art Report Unveiling Celebration (2016), an invitational show at Zoetropolis Art House Cinema (2017), the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts Governor's Arts Awards (2017), Lancaster County Conservancy's Lancaster Water Week (2018), Music Friday (2018), Lancaster Pride (2018), Celebrate Lancaster (2018) and Musser Park's 4th of July Celebration (2018). Look for the Station at Binns Park in Lancaster for the African Festival on September 30.