Discovery Green invests in new mentoring program for Houston artists

Houston is a city of art, not just because of our vibrant artist communities or even our world-class museums. Houston is an art city because art flourishes everywhere we look, in our parks, on street corners, in airports, on college campuses, and on the sides of skyscrapers. But taking artistic creations to sometimes literal heights is not something all artists know how to do. It is with this challenge in mind that Discovery Green Conversancy recently announced the launch of Art Lab, a mentorship program designed to provide underrepresented local artists with the skills and resources needed to expand their practices into works large-scale interactive outdoor sculptural public spaces.

Since its opening in 2008, Discovery Green has welcomed more than 30 million visitors and over time has become one of the city’s leaders in presenting large-scale public art.

“Public art has been at the heart of Discovery Green since its inception 16 years ago, and the park has grown into an outdoor gallery with a world-class permanent collection and remarkable temporary installations that attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. ” said Kathryn Lott, president of the Discovery Green Conservancy.

With this history, the organization certainly understands the challenges artists may face when creating on a large scale for an even wider audience.

“While Discovery Green has always served as a hub for nurturing and elevating local artistic talent, we learned that there was a lack of opportunities for Houston artists to develop their skills and access the resources needed to build large-scale, interactive public art,” said Discovery Green artistic. Director Susanne Theis tells CultureMap. She adds that working and partnering with the Weingarten Art Group, they spent several years conceptualizing what a public art development program for artists could look like.

Now, thanks to the generous help of an anonymous national foundation, this fully funded Art Lab program is ready to launch.

“Art Lab will provide its fellows with the unique opportunity to explore and experiment with new materials, media, methods and technologies,” says Lea Weingarten, director of the Weingarten Art Group. “Mentors will work to guide them in designing innovative and interactive public artworks – exactly what has captivated Discovery Green’s many audiences.” »

So what does this initiative mean for Houston artists? After a selection process, Art Lab will offer two local artists an apprenticeship, internship and $4,500 honorarium to work with a team of mentors including Weingarten Art Group, Houston-based architecture and design firm Metalab and the internationally renowned Brooklyn-based company. artist/engineer Jen Lewin. In addition to a long list of public art, Lewin created massive installations for Burning Man.

As Art Lab’s inaugural lead artist, Discovery Green commissioned Lewin for a yet-to-be-announced site-specific art installation that will be in the park during the 2024/25 winter season. As part of their learning, Art Lab resident artists will follow and learn from Lewin as she works on this installation.

“Jen Lewin’s name has come up in many conversations for several years now, and we’re thrilled that she’s Art Lab’s first lead artist,” says Theis. “His work engages audiences on many different levels and his themes resonate with Discovery Green’s mission and vision. Jen demonstrates great enthusiasm for mentoring and shares our commitment to elevating artists by providing learning opportunities.

Open only to artists, architects and designers residing within 75 miles of central Houston, Art Lab applications will be accepted through July 14, 2024. Selected artists will be announced in August. The Art Lab program runs from September 2024 to January 2025.

The program could provide individual artists with life-changing mentorship, but as Kathryn Lott explains, Houston’s art-loving public will likely reap the artistic rewards as well.

“Our goal with Art Lab is to continue to connect Houstonians and visitors to inspiring and thought-provoking works while creating opportunities for the incredibly talented artists in our own backyard.”