Take a Walk on the Art Side
The Lowell Folk Festival is all about traditional music, ethnic food and culture - lots of culture and art! If you come for the festival, there are plenty of galleries and museums to visit and plenty of artistic inspiration to be found in neighborhoods across the city. We invite you to explore your surroundings and enjoy Lowell's creative scene while taking in the sights and sounds of this incredibly diverse music festival.
Decatur Way - Photo Courtesy of Liz LaManche
1. Lowell Public Art Walk
Outdoor art is all around in Lowell! Whether you're walking downtown or exploring our neighborhoods, you're sure to see a variety of original works that reflect the city's history, ethnic heritage and contemporary life. Our self-guided tour encourages residents and visitors to chart their own course and discover the public sculptures, murals, memorials and historic monuments that make Lowell unique. Visit Lowell Public Art Walk to learn more and discover local treasures near you.
Photo Courtesy of the Lowell Folk Festival_Higgins _ Ross
2. Art in the Courtyard
Under the tents in the shaded, brick-lined courtyard between the National Historical Park and the Brush gallery, you will find Art in the Courtyard, a high-traffic spot featuring some of the finest art and craft work by local artists. This venue provides an opportunity for visitors to meet the artists and learn about the techniques and processes that go into creating their works. Art in the Courtyard is coordinated by the Brush Art Gallery and is one of the best
places to view and purchase art and fine crafts at the Lowell Folk Festival.
3. Pop Up Art Show
If you're looking for a respite from the over-stimulation of the festival then head over to the Arts League of Lowell and check out the work of their talented artists in a special pop up show of small works especially chosen for the Folk Festival weekend. Works are no larger than 12 x 12 inches or smaller and all priced at $100 or below. This is your chance to find something lovely and unique from Lowell!
4. Threads of Resistance
Located in downtown Lowell, The New England Quilt Museum is the only institute in the Northeast solely dedicated to the art of quilting and the second-oldest quilt museum in the United States. Their new exhibit titled "Threads of Resistance", on view now through September 9, 2017, proves that the art of quilt-making is alive and kicking. This national exhibition, organized by the Artist's Circle, features 64 juried works of fiber art, contemporary quilts, and art quilts designed to express a range of emotions from anger and sadness to hope and empowerment. Inspired by the words of Martin Luther King, Jr, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter".
5. Discover other Galleries and Museums
There's plenty of art to see elsewhere: Stop by UnchARTed Gallery and check out the abstract map prints by the artist Jennifer Carland of Carland Cartography! Also check out these other exhibits: Gallery Z - Reflections II, thru July 30 - Ayer Lofts Art Gallery - Lowell Loves Art, thru July 30 - Loading Dock Gallery - The Cultural ARTbeat, thru July 30 - LTC Gallery - Opening August 3: Japan: Tradition and Inspiration, thru August 31 - Whistler House Museum of Art - Opening August 5: Contemporary Art Quilts 2017, thru September 1.
Destination Lowell - A Showcase of Lowell's Best
The 31st annual Lowell Folk Festival will bring the best of traditional music, food and crafts for all to enjoy. This year’s Destination Lowell will offer visitors a more engaging, interactive experience by transforming Merrimack Street into hubs of activity, entertainment, outdoor sports and local vendors. We hope that festival visitors will soon discover why There's a Lot to Like about Lowell! Here are some things to look forward to.
1. Art, Culture and Heritage
Located at the entrance of Destination Lowell between Shattuck Street and Palmer Street, the Art, Culture and Heritage area will feature a dozen local organizations offering information, giveaways and more! Lowell Celebrates Kerouac, Western Avenue Studios and Merrimack Repertory Theater are some of this year’s participants. Come experience Lowell’s rich and vibrant cultural scene!
2. Outdoor Fun, Sports and Recreation
As you walk further down Merrimack Street, you will see Destination Lowell’s first of three activation areas. This area creates the perfect setting for outdoor recreation and sports organizations to promote themselves, while engaging attendees through interactive activities involving crafts, games, music, sports and fitness. For those who love competition, this is the hub for you! Destination Lowell will provide giant outdoor games such as cornhole, checkers and jenga for all ages to enjoy while listening to some beautiful folk music in Downtown Lowell’s historic setting.
3. Events and Happenings
Once you’ve experienced the fun and entertaining activities at the recreation area, continue strolling down Merrimack Street to the next area that Destination Lowell has set up for you. There are plenty of things to do at the events and happenings hub, located between Kirk and John Street. This area creates spaces for local companies like Made in Lowell, DIY Lowell, Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race and the Puerto Rican Festival to promote upcoming events and provide information on ways to get involved.
Derek Soohoo Pottery
4. Lifestyle
The last area is the lifestyle hub. This area will serve as a great way for participants to stay relax and unwind as Destination Lowell partners with Mill No. 5 to promote a healthy lifestyle. The Red Apothecary and Derek’s SooHoo Pottery are some of the local businesses that will have exhibits and demonstrations for all to enjoy!
Come check what this year’s Destination Lowell has to offer and experience for yourself why people believe Lowell is the number one festival city, as it continues to host the largest free folk festival in the United States! The Lowell Folk Festival seeks to present the finest traditional music, dance, crafts, ethnic food and cultural treasures that make up Lowell’s diverse community. This is a free event. For more information visit: http://lowellfolkfestival.org/
The Mill Yard: Lowell's New Outdoor Hotspot
Looking for the perfect way to celebrate the end of a long week? Well, we have just the event that will get you outdoors and keep you entertained for hours! Friday Nights is returning to The Mill Yard with delicious food, beautiful art, music and a beer garden for all to enjoy.
1. Friday Nights and The Mill Yard Grand Opening
While Friday Nights, sponsored by Made in Lowell, has been an ongoing event, this week’s festivity is going to be something you will not want to miss! With food trucks, local vendors and live entertainment, it’s the perfect setting for family and friends to enjoy this social event at a beautiful venue surrounded by mills and canal ways. Friday Nights begins at 5 pm, with the grand opening of The Mill Yard starting at 6.
In addition to Made in Lowell’s monthly Friday Nights celebrations The Mill Yard venue will serve as a prime outdoor location aimed at enhancing community engagement, offer space for entertainment, showcase local musicians and expand the city’s collaboration with food trucks.
The Mill Yard will provide the perfect setting for families, friends and foot-truck aficionados and will be available to host a variety of artisan markets and private functions. Come celebrate Lowell’s first ever community food truck park at the grand opening event tonight at 6 pm!
2. Art is in the Air
If you want a break from all the excitement at The Mill Yard, there is a lot to do in the surrounding area that will keep you entertained. The Mill Yard’s location is within sight of some cool public art. “Veils of Color,” created by artist Barbara Poole, fills the windows of a former mill wall with brightly dyed panels of fabric representing the dyes that used to be dumped in the canal when the Appleton Mills Dye House was operating. Nearby a pop up art park has been created from concrete blocks and jersey barriers, part of the City’s effort’s to creatively transform construction and security materials. When not being used for Folk Festival and other street closing security, they will be on display in the park, located across the Lower Pawtucket Canal in the Hamilton Canal District.
3. Mill NO. 5 and its many amenities just a footstep away
Photo: millno5.com
The fantastic thing about The Mill Yard is its centrally located right across the street from Lowell’s vibrant Mill No. 5. The quaint shops and weekly farm market in this renovated mill building are open all week long. Mill No. 5’s Luna Theater is always showcasing films and shows, with an upcoming comedy movie Band Aid this Friday night starting at 7:35pm. By expanding the use of The Mill Yard and making it an urban oasis for current and future district residents and businesses, local shops will be busier than ever!
4. The Breathtaking Western Avenue Studios
If you’re an art lover looking for something to do after grabbing a bite at Lowell’s new food truck park at The Mill Yard, the Western Avenue Studios located just around the corner is where art comes alive. The space has over 300 artists and 250 studio spaces for local artists and provides exquisite art for the public to see. The Western Avenue Studio is home to the largest artist’s community on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. The studio has art classes and art exhibits year round. The current Gallery show is The Cultural Artbeat which runs through July 30th.
ART CREATED FROM CONCRETE AND METAL
[LOWELL, MA] - When the Lowell Folk Festival returns to downtown Lowell July 28-30th, visitors will enter festival areas past security blocks and barriers that have been transformed into works of art. The Cultural Affairs and Special Events Office (CASE) has teamed up with local artists to create public art from chunks of concrete as a creative approach to brighten the entries to the festival.
Eighteen security blocks are being painted by artists Mary Hart, Alexandra Derderian and Ioana Singureanu. CASE provided funding for stipends and materials.
“With the City of Lowell owing much of its multi-cultural heritage to its immigrants, each pattern I selected is meant to honor individual immigrant groups without being too specific about the inspiration,” said artist Ioana Singureanu. “I'm happy to participate in this project and I hope other cities follow Lowell's example of creative integration of safety and art.”
In addition to the concrete cubes, twelve jersey barriers will be painted by artist Bret Weese.
“When you give the public something to look at, the way they interact with each other changes, making the community stronger,” said Weese. “If my work is to be defined, I would say it is inspired by the graffuturism movement, which is a more modern and contemporary fusing of abstract expressionism and graffiti.”
“We are delighted to engage our local artists to create works of art out of basic construction blocks and in so doing, change perceptions about our safety measures,” said City Manager Kevin Murphy. “We look forward to continuing this program and to using these blocks to create a temporary art park when they are not in use for events.”
In addition, a metal storage container, placed in The Mill Yard in the Hamilton Canal Innovation District, will receive an artistic treatment. The painted container will be used for events equipment storage for Mill Yard events such as Friday Nights, enhancing the area and serving as another piece of public art.
About the Movie Being Shot in Lowell This Week...
Production crews descended on the city this week to film scenes for Screen Gems' action thriller "Proud Mary", starring Taraji P. Henson with Billy Brown, Jahi Di'Allo Winston, Neal McDonough, Margaret Avery, Xander Berkeley and Danny Glover.
If you've spotted several dozen people gathered around equipment on a sidewalk on Central Street and were wondering, the answer is yes, actress Taraji P. Henson is in Lowell. A Golden Globe winner for her role as Cookie Lyon in Fox's "Empire", Henson will play a contract killer whose maternal instinct is awakened when she meets a young boy. Directed by Babak Najafi, the film is set for release in January 2018.
Filming for the movie, which started yesterday, will continue over the next week at various locations in downtown Lowell and sightings are due to become increasingly common. The most recent one took place Thursday morning while the cast and crew were working smack in the middle of downtown Lowell in front of WCAP studios on Central Street.
By noontime, a few onlookers were hanging out on site, hoping to get a glimpse of the star, while equipment and police detail officers lined the street.
Exterior shooting is scheduled for May 16 on Palmer Street between Middle and Merrimack Streets. This block will be closed to traffic but Middle will remain open as will Palmer from Market to Middle. CASE staff have been coordinating shooting schedules, traffic control, logistical support and street closures with location managers.
Several movie production trailers were setting up on a city lot in the Hamilton Canal District across from 110 Canal Street in preparation for the cast and crew. Lowell's unique sites and neighborhoods make the city a popular place for film production. There has been a number of notable films shot in the city including 'The Fighter', 'The Invention of Lying', and more recently 'Professor Marston & The Wonder Women'.
Hollywood Returns to Lowell
Actress Taraji P. Henson (photo thanks to Wikipedia user Bill Ingalls/NASA, some rights reserved).
By Henri Marchand on May 3, 2017 - Hollywood returns to Lowell for five days of feature film production beginning Thursday, May 11. Screen Gems Productions will be in town at several locations filming scenes for 'Proud Mary', starring Taraji P. Henson, Neal McDonough and Xander Berkeley.
A Golden Globe winner for her role as Cookie Lyon in Fox’s “Empire”, Henson plays a contract killer whose maternal instinct is awakened when she meets a young boy.
The production will shoot scenes May 11-15 in the WCAP studios on Central Street. The right lane will be blocked during filming but Lowell Police will provide traffic control.
Exterior shooting is scheduled for May 16 on Palmer Street between Middle and Merrimack Streets. This block will be closed to traffic but Middle will remain open as will Palmer from Market to Middle. Police will also be on hand to provide support.
Location managers have been working with downtown businesses and the City to coordinate shooting schedules, traffic control, logistical support and street closures.
Release date is scheduled for January 26, 2018 according to IMDb.com.
Other feature films shot in Lowell include 'The Fighter', 'The Invention of Lying', and 'Professor Marston & The Wonder Women'.
Let's Talk About our "Sister" and Food!
Like Lowell, There's a Lot ALike about Saint-Dié-des-Vosges
Lowell's sister city since 1989, Saint-Dié-des-Vosges is located in the northeastern corner of France. Like Lowell the town is bisected by a river, the Meurthe, and has a rich history. Although much older, Saint-Dié-des-Vosges has a lot in common with its younger sister.
Image Credit: https://transvosges.com
Created between the 12th and 13th centuries, Saint-Dié-des-Vosges has seen its share of challenges including wars, fires and economic decline but has always bounced back and rebuilt itself over the years, indeed centuries. Saint-Dié, like Lowell, was an industrial center in the 19th century and its economic history includes textile manufacturing along with metalwork, machinery and the manufacture of hosiery. Today it's a center of services, education and tourism. The Institut universitaire de techologie provides programs in robotics, electronics, computing and graphic design.
Historical landmarks include a Gothic cloister and medieval and Renaissance cathedrals including one built of pink sandstone. Other landmarks are the Claude and Duval factory, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built by famed architect, Le Corbusier; and the Tower of Liberty, originally built to celebrate the bicentennial of the French Revolution that now serves as an exhibition hall and museum. Other museums, cultural events and public markets, including a Christmas Market and parade of St. Nicholas, beckon residents and visitors alike.
Like Lowell, Saint-Dié-des-Vosges has a diverse menu of restaurants-Asian, Indian, Italian, Turkish, Middle Eastern, Vegetarian and, of course, French.
Click here for more information on Lowell's older "sister".
The World On Your Tastebuds.
When it comes to international cuisine, Lowell is also home to a whole variety of restaurants and eateries. The city has local favorites, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, sophisticated dining and so much more. Each neighborhood features eateries with flavors that reflect the city's diverse culture.
Here you can find Asian, Mexican, Latin, Mediterranean, Egyptian, Greek, Italian, African, Portuguese, Caribbean and classic American food. This is in addition to many food trucks, diners, donut shops and bakeries. Lowell is a city with a growing coffee culture and our coffee shops and cafés are definitely places to go for a delicious roast.
Our new dining directory allows for easy exploration of Lowell's food culture. Search either by food type or by neighborhood. A restaurant's phone number, address, website and a brief summary of their menu is included.
Please keep in mind that the directory is continuously updated. If there is an eatery not included in our directory, please let us know! You can discover Lowell's restaurants here.
Even More Reasons Why Lowell is Heaven for Creatives
Art entrepreneurs create opportunities, jobs, culture, products and services that help drive our economy. With over 600 artists and makers residing in Lowell, the city has a great infrastructure that provides invaluable support to the creative community. (Read the first part of the article here).
1. Creative Resources
Over the last 10 years the Lowell Cultural Council Program (LCC) has supported hundreds of community-based projects in the arts, humanities and sciences annually allocating funding within the Lowell community on behalf of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. These funds provide economic support for community events that reach residents of all ages. This year alone the LCC funded 42 projects for a total of $61,645.
Pictured above is Barbara Poole's 'Veils of Color', a public art project funded by the LCC.
2. DIY Community
The spirit of do-it-yourself is alive and well in the city. Organizations like DIY Lowell, a citizen-led initiative that connects and empowers Lowellians, are essential to creating positive change. Residents can submit ideas and implement small-scale community projects to enhance the quality of life in the city's neighborhoods.
For PARK(ing) Day Lowell, DIY Lowell and the National Historical Park transformed three metered parking spaces on Merrimack Street into a pop-up park for the day.
3. Cultural Partnerships
The Cultural Organization of Lowell provides information, advocacy and services to individuals, organizations, institutions and agencies involved with the local creative economy. Commonly known by the acronym "COOL" this nonprofit plays a key role in the city helping to strengthen the vitality and economic growth of arts and culture in Lowell.
4. Makers Culture
As the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, Lowell continues to attract makers and innovators. Organizations like Lowell Makes are succeeding in efforts to bring together local artists, engineers, makers and thinkers to provide the tools and learning resources where individuals can gain and practice modern skills with a community of creative-minded people making all kinds of things.
5. Inspired Innovation
The first of its kind in Massachusetts, New Vestures is a fashion and textiles co-working makerspace. Founded in 2012 by artist, designer & educator, Diana Coluntino, New Vestures aims to support a community of fashion designers, entrepreneurs and innovators who believe that creative, sustainable apparel, textile design and manufacturing practices will improve lives and better the world.
For more information on these organizations and more public arts attractions in Lowell, please visit likelowell.com.
The 8 must-go-to events in Lowell in 2017
There Is A Lot To like about events and festivals in Lowell. From neighborhood parties to the largest folk festival in the nation. Did you know that more than 2,500 events are happening every given year in Lowell?
There Is A Lot To like about events and festivals in Lowell. From neighborhood parties to the largest folk festival in the nation. Did you know that more than 2,500 events are happening every given year in Lowell?
As you make your plans for this year, make sure to plan for our 8 must-go-to events of the year. There are for sure plenty more events worth attending, but these 8 are unique and special to us. Remember, you have plenty of other days to go on vacation!
1. Winterfest (Feb. 24-25)
Lowell’s Winterfest will fuse the city’s warm, inviting culture and cold, New England winter weather. Downtown Lowell will transform into a fun, safe, frozen wonderland. Along with the returning and very popular Soup Bowl Competition, Microbrew Craft Beer Showcase and all yu can eat Chocolate Festival, there will be a wider range of food and drinks provided by Lowell eateries and breweries, including Phoenix Rising Pizza, Spiceventure, Tutto Bene Wine & Cheese Cellars, Merrimack Ales and Navigation Brewing Company.
JFK Plaza will convert into an ice skating rink, ensuring family fun. Beautiful lights on the canal will illuminate downtown, including Lucy Larcom Park, which will become the Magical Winter Garden. There will also be a heated, on-site restaurant, The Lodge, which will offer plenty of comfortable seating and serve as an oasis from the cold weather. Winterfest will also feature live music, performed by nationally-known U2 cover band, Joshua Tree, and the local band rising to stardom, Western Education. Those are only a couple of the bands playing!
Lowell’s Winterfest will be a great weekend for people of all ages, so be sure to mark the event on your calendar. To buy tickets and to learn more about Winterfest, please visit www.lowellwinterfest.com. Also find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LowellWinterFest/.
2. Beards & Brews (March 11)
Beards and brews. It does not get much better than that. The Red Antler Apothecary, located in Mill No. 5, and Made in Lowell are partnering to host Beards & Brews -- which is exactly what its name describes -- for its third year. There is going to be plenty of beer – provided by breweries such as Navigation Brewing Company, Merrimack Ales, St. Killians and Wachusett, just to name a few – along with a grand amount of facial hair. Categories for best beard, mustache, and whiskerinas are all featured in the friendly competition.
There is also going to be plenty of food, including vending by Mill City Cheesemongers and Cuesta’s Fiestas. It is not a true shindig without music, so bands including Sunday Mourning will perform. It is greatly urged to purchase tickets early.
To learn more about Beards & Brews and to purchase tickets, please visitwww.madeinlowell.org/beards-brews. Go buy some beard oil too! To let them know you are interested in attending, please visit their Facebook event page atwww.facebook.com/events/1616939908600424/.
3. Lowell Summer Music Series (summer)
The Lowell Summer Music Series is an annual series of concerts at Boarding House Park. The concerts last throughout the summer, ensuring there is a time when you can make it! Amazing talent drops by Boarding House Park at 40 French St. and there is also plenty of amazing food with convenient parking nearby. Tickets can be purchased at the event, but children 12 and under are free!
More information is being updated as time moves along, so be sure to check out their website at www.lowellsummermusic.org and their Facebook at www.facebook.com/LowellSummerMusic to check out past performances and to learn about this year’s performers when information is available.
4. Lowell Folk Festival (July 28-30)
The Lowell Folk Festival is an annual event that the city of Lowell is known for. Thousands of people attend the event every year. 2017’s Folk Festival will be the 31st installment of the event and will be a showcase of the city’s diverse populations and their traditional music. Downtown Lowell is transformed into a mini world as cultures from across the Earth are represented through song, dance and food.
Five stages across Downtown Lowell will be the areas of performance, and attendees can either grab a blanket and relax near one stage, or see what every stage has to offer.
The Lowell Folk Festival is the longest-running, free folk festival in the country! To learn more about the Folk Festival, please visit their website at www.lowellfolkfestival.org. Follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LowellFolkFestival/.
5. Southeast Asian Water Festival (Aug. 19)
Lowell has one of the highest populations of Southeast Asians outside of Southeast Asia, and they have been an integral part of the Lowell community. Their rich culture has contributed greatly to making Lowell as historic and diverse a city as it is.
Thousands of people both local and abroad come to Lowell to experience the Southeast Asian Water Festival, which is dedicated, as their website puts it, “to the preservation, protection and sharing of the cultural heritages of the Southeast Asian Americans of Greater Lowell, Massachusetts area.”
The festival began in 1997 as a celebration of Lowell’s Khmer population, but by 2002 the festival expanded to also incorporate the Thai, Vietnamese, and Laotian communities. To find out more about the Southeast Asian Water Festival, please visit their website at www.lowellwaterfestival.com. Follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LSEAWF/.
6. Lowell Art & Makers Festival (Sep. 16-17)
The Art & Makers Festival is a brand-new festival coming to Market Street in Downtown Lowell. The festival will be a two-day celebration of art in a city known for its culture. Over 60 tents will showcase creativity from local artists, showing why Lowell is such a cool city. There will also be food, music and stage and street performers.
The festival’s website features a link to apply to be a part of the festival as an artist, performer, business sponsor, and more. To apply now and to learn more about the Art & Makers Festival, please visit www.cultureiscool.org/lamf-overview. Follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LowellArtMakerFest/.
7. Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race (Sep. 23)
The Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race is a wacky sporting event, and the only one of its kind in New England. The race features teams going head-to-head in machines-mixed-with-art, or as the event’s website puts it, “all-terrain, human-powered vehicles with an art twist.” The event is free and fun for all ages, and a great portion of Lowell will be part of the race track.
Spectators and attendees will have the opportunity to chat with teams beginning at 9 a.m. and can see the awesome kinetic sculptures up close. The race itself will begin at 11 a.m. at Market St., take a dramatic path through the city, and finish at Market St. at around 4 p.m. It is encouraged to bring smiles, wear costumes, and to prepare for a very fun day of live music, letting loose, and plenty of food. See how the worlds of STEM and art can blend together to create something truly spectacular!
To learn more about the Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race, please visit their website at www.lowellkinetic.com. Follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LowellKinetic/.
8. City of Lights (Nov. 25)
The City of Lights Parade is an annual celebration that takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The entire day is full of family-friendly fun to ring in the zeitgeist of the holiday season. Lowell is transformed into a holiday wonderland with plenty of food, entertainment, winter mascots, activities, and free transportation between destinations.
The parade itself is a spectacular, bright and fun way to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season. More information will be made available as time passes, so be sure to check out www.likelowell.com for more information about the event and also follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LowellCityofLightsParade/.
5 Reasons Lowell is Heaven on Earth for Creatives and Lovers of Art
If you're up to take a day trip, or to stay the weekend, here are 5 reasons why Lowell is Heaven on Earth for you. Whether you're the creative kind or you are a lover of art.
5 Reasons Lowell is Heaven on Earth for Creatives and Lovers of Art
Just a few weeks ago, I started a conversation with a dear friend of mine about art. Our goal was to come to an understanding of what art is. You see for me, art is "nice". It's also necessary, and it makes rooms pretty. For my friend, art is paintings. We were joined by another friend who cooked a great meal for us, and as we saw his culinary presentation, we silently commented, "what a piece of art"!
Art is all around us. Art Is The Handmade of Human Good is Lowell's motto and is part of our seal. We embrace it, we love it, and, we live it.
Lowell has as diverse an art and creative community as any. An estimated 800 artists call Lowell home. In Lowell, art is a thread of public connections and is part of our everyday lives.
If you're up to take a day trip, or to stay the weekend, here are 5 reasons why Lowell is Heaven on Earth for you. Whether you're the creative kind or you are a lover of art.
1. Public Art.
With over 12 public art installations that are carefully curated and designed to pay homage to Lowell's rich history and heritage, Lowell is worth taking that trip. Short and long self-guided walking tours are a treat in every season. And plenty of choices to dine and refuel will make for a well-rounded experience.
Image: Markus Haala
2. Western Avenue Studios & Lofts
From contemporary artists like Markus Haala to glass artists like Ivy Pompei, Western Avenue Studios (WAS) and Western Avenue Studios Lofts are a diverse artist community of over 300 artists. Did we mention that WAS is the largest artist community of this kind in the northeastern United States? And with ever-changing exhibits at the Loading Dock Gallery, WAS is surely worth a visit.
Image: Mary hart
3. ALL Art Gallery and Gates Block
It's winter now, but you might have spotted artists like Bill Bradbury last summer on the streets of Lowell, painting illustrations, cartoons, streetscapes or other scenic views. Bill is one of about 230 artists at ALL. ALL of course stands for Arts League of Lowell, a community of artists established in 2004 to celebrate and foster creative community in Lowell. ALL is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Lowell, within walking distance from parking areas and garages.
And while you're visiting ALL, stock up on art supplies and more at Van Gogh's Gear, the best art supply store in Lowell.
4. The Brush Art Gallery
Right down the street from the ALL Gallery is The Brush Art Gallery. The Brush is a staple for art in Lowell. Rotating exhibits from diverse artists and amazing community outreach to schools and other partner organizations make "The Brush" a one-of-a-kind place to visit.
5. Creative Economy at its best
In recent years new ventures in Lowell's creative community have emerged and have given a new and exciting spin to what creative community means in Lowell. Be it Uncharted Gallery, a kind of fusion of art and bistro that will excite your mind with the art on display and your taste buds with the culinary creations served, or Gallery Z, a café and artist collaborative- Lowell's innovative, creative economy is expanding its offerings daily.
Also stay tuned for part II/III of this series and check out these places while you wait: The Hearing Room / Art Up at the Lowell Community Health Center / Whistler House Museum of Art/ Decatur Art Way
A very public comeback of public art
I admit it, Public Art has been something I kind of always took for granted. More or less it certainly existed everywhere I have lived before.
I admit it, public art has been something I kind of always took for granted. More or less it certainly existed everywhere I have lived before.
This really didn’t change a lot after moving to Lowell. I recall a conversation with a friend just a few month ago in which he shared his sheer fascination with the public art collections of Lowell. I felt I had no idea, yet it made me curious, and this conversation caused me to pay more attention to the city I love and call home and the art I [didn’t] see.
I remember taking my kids for a walk to the Concord River Greenway, having no idea that Lowell’s Riverfest Carp is “not” just one piece in a rich Lowell Public Art collection. Suddenly, every time I walked down Market Street I would see Homage to Women through a very different lens, and this once (by me) ignored piece of art did what public art has the power to do: it made me pause, wonder, celebrate, admire, appreciate, be inspired and remember.
There are certainly many people in Lowell who can tell and share more about public art than I would ever try to do. But what I have learned is that public art is important, creates experiences and contributes to everyone’s quality of life. We don’t have to be “into the arts” to appreciate the beauty of public art maybe, just maybe, public art has the power to introduce art to each of us through its different mediums and our individual perceptions.
The last few months have been a comeback of sorts for public art in Lowell. Explore Lowell like a local and find one (or all) of Lowell’s amazing public art pieces. Start here.
The Dutton Street Mural
This week I was able to attend the official reveal of the Dutton Street Mural which was originally created in the late 1970’s by Leo Panas. The Irish-Acre mural is most likely one of the last of its kind and was original designed as part of a larger project of murals in different locations celebrating the immigrant heritage of Lowell.
Veils of Color
Veils of Color for Lowell, the Venice of America by Barbara Poole is a public art installation inside the remaining walls of an old mill along the lower Pawtucket Canal. The installation pays tribute to the textile history of Lowell and in a visually stunning way honors Lowell’s former textile manufacturing industry.
Pawtucket Prism
A very exciting comeback is the beginning with the restoration of the Pawtucket Prism. Artist Michio Ihara designed and built the Pawtucket Prism in 1987. After years of disrepair, Michio started restoration of this impressive twenty foot high sculpture that captures the essence of flowing water with sunlight and sound. Originally designed for water to flow through steel tubes moving 40 metal cubes, the redesigned installation will include 32 metal cubes.
These new and old public art installations are yet another reason to explore Lowell like a local to see all the great things to do and find out what so many people already know: There's A Lot To like here in Lowell
Acknowledgements:
Other more recent public art installations and places include: Decatur Way, The Lowell Public Art Collection, Temporary Instalations included: #LightUpTheLocks, Downtown First Thursdays Light along canal, Human Powered Machines, and many others...