Several pieces of public art could be on the way to Bristol Borough in the coming years, as long as the planned pilot project goes well.
The push to focus Bristol Borough on art and entertainment has been omnipresent ever since Bristol Borough: Raising the Bar began efforts in 2015 to open the Bristol Borough Centre for the Arts on Mill Street. The center joined a robust art community, including Bristol Riverside Theatre and a number of private art studios.
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Just a little more than three years after the arts center opened, and public art could get a lot more public in Bristol Borough.
“We think our future lies in dining, entertainment, specialty retail and championing the arts,” said Bill Pezza, president of Bristol Borough: Raising the Bar, at Monday night’s Council work session as he pitched the mural pilot program.
Quelling the biggest concerns from council members, Pezza explained that the murals and maintenance will be totally funded by Raising the Bar. Tax dollars, Pezza explained, will have no place in this public art program.
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When Council President Ralph DiGuiseppe II raised questions about vandalism, Pezza reminded the council of the town’s inclusion in Towns Against Graffiti, which would help to remove graffiti from public spaces.
The artwork will be presented to the board at the Centre for the Arts. The center’s leadership will look through submissions before bringing the finalist before Council for approval. The center’s own criteria dictates that while anyone is free to offer suggestions and submit artwork, the actual pieces must be subtle and celebrate Bristol’s history in a tasteful manner. The artwork, Pezza maintained, would not be commercial in any way.
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The first potential landing spots for the first mural include a building on Old Route 13, where the owner has already offered approval and support. The tunnel under the Prospect and Garden streets overpass and the river side of the Aqua building on Radcliffe Street are also on the list.
There is no definite timeline set for the pilot program, and the next steps involve the committee bringing a set of ordinances to the Borough’s solicitor for review before it can be implemented.
According to Pezza, the program should be underway at some point in the spring.
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