The following announcement came from the organizers of YardArt Waterotwn:
YardArt Watertown 2021 is the first annual outdoor art exhibition featuring the work of over 120 artists and art enthusiasts. The town-wide exhibit begins Friday, March 5th and runs through April 2nd and features a variety of art projects displayed on residents’ front yards and porches.
The free, self-guided tour is a COVID-safe community event for anyone walking or driving through Watertown. YardArt locations are marked by yard signs and will appear on an interactive online map (coming soon, click here), along with creators’ statements and photos. A special temporary sculpture exhibit is on display at the Commander’s Mansion at Arsenal on the Charles.
“I was clearing out brush from my backyard and dreaming about how to make something fun and creative from it,” recalls Barbara Epstein, member of the Watertown Public Arts and Culture Committee. “I was also thinking about how you work around the restrictions of the pandemic and come together as a community. Some of my neighbors were thinking about the same things. Months later and a lot of hard work from many in the arts and business community, we have the first annual YardArt Watertown 2021.”
The launch of YardArt Watertown 2021 comes just weeks after the Watertown Town Council approved a Public Arts and Culture Master Plan, establishing a framework to engage the public through arts and cultural activities.
“COVID highlighted the need for community connection among Watertown businesses and residents alike,” says Doug Orifice of the Watertown Business Coalition. “Our goal is to fill that gap, to find ways that art and culture can involve and reflect the people of Watertown. Our newly-adopted Master Plan, ongoing planning for a Watertown Cultural District, and initiatives like YardArt are all working in concert to showcase and support our vibrant arts community.”
YardArt is a collaboration between the Watertown Public Arts and Culture Committee, the Mosesian Center for the Arts, Hatch Makerspace, Live Well Watertown, and the Watertown Cultural Council, with support from the Watertown Community Foundation.