A gateway into the City will be the site of a new piece of public art to welcome people to
Northampton. In recent years, Bob Reckman, Ward 3 City Councilor and the members of the
neighborhood opened discussions about the care and maintenance of the “Dream” mural,
installed on the east side of the railroad bridge over Rte 9 funded by the Northampton Arts Council in 1991. It is in poor shape and cannot be repaired. Leland Johnston, the artist who created it, believes it is time for something new in that location. The cost to refurbish the mural was staggering and an article about the condition of the “Dream” mural appeared on September 17 in the Daily Hampshire Gazette. Three groups or individuals expressed their interest in funding a replacement within the next 2 days by contacting Councilor Reckman. The first was a donor who prefers to remain anonymous. The second was Chartpak, Inc a Leeds based company that sells a wide range of art supplies and had been looking for a way to contribute to the local arts scene and the City. In addition to money they are happy to contribute any of their products that could be used at no cost. The third group was the newly created Business Improvement District (BID). Reckman, working together with Mayor Clare Higgins, brought the project to the Northampton Arts Council.
Bob Reckman arranged a meeting with the Mayor, Robert Rodak, Vice President & General
Manager of Chartpak, Sasha De Marino, Director of Education at Chartpak, Dan Yacuzzo,
Executive Director of the Business Improvement District (BID) in Northampton, the Director of the Northampton Arts Council, Bob Cilman, and Diane Porcella a consultant to the Council. All
agreed that it is key that both the neighborhood community and City residents be involved in the
selection process. The BID is already working to improve the bridge appearance with power
washing, already underway, new lighting and improvements to the railings at the edge of the
sidewalk. The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and Pan Am Railways are also working to
protect this area for its regional transportation and historic values.
The Northampton Arts Council, with the support of the City, will develop a steering committee to
create a plan and process that will prepare the bridge for new art, build a long term maintenance
plan, create an application package and review process that will attract artists from Hampshire,
Franklin, Hampden and Berkshire counties to this high visibility project. The steering committee
will examine the core needs and how to manage this important opportunity and significant
financial contribution. They will establish a jury to choose among the respondents and once the list has been narrowed there will be a chance for the public to see these proposals and let jury
members know their responses in person before the jury makes the final selection. The scope and
importance of the project demands time and diligence to make a piece of art that reflects
Northampton and the request will go out before the year end. The anonymous donor, Chartpak
and the BID saw a need and a way to help make a change. This project may become a blueprint
for how future public art in Northampton can be conceived and funded. It is bittersweet to remove Johnston’s “Dream” but its removal signals a fresh way of looking at this space, and other spaces around the City.
For more info: Bob Cilman 413 587 1247 nacads@comcast.net
Northampton Arts
Council, Inc.
240 Main Street,
Memorial Hall
Northampton, MA 01060
T 413.587.1269
arts@northamptonma.gov
nacads@comcast.net
www.northamptonartscouncil.org
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