Cultural Currents

Cultural Currents is an ongoing collaborative public art initiative to strengthen multicultural hubs, programming and experiences in Eugene throughout the Downtown core and into the Downtown Riverfront Park. Started in 2023 with funding from The National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grant, the initiative establishes pathways for artists interested in entering the public art field while creating access to the arts for the community. This year's temporary art installations will be celebrated during Visual Arts Week, September 27-October 6, 2024, with installations occurring in mid-September.

The initiative invites artists, artist collectives, and arts organizations to create temporary public art installations that utilize arts and storytelling to advance representation and narratives that have historically been excluded, misrepresented, and/or marginalized in Eugene. The project strongly encourages artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latino/a/x/e, LGBTQIA+ and those with intersecting identities to apply.

Three categories are available: Exterior Sculptures (2 artists selected, $2,000 stipend each, 1-year installation at Hult Center entrance plinths); Interior 2-Dimensional Artwork (1 artist selected, $1,500 stipend, 1-year installation at Farmers Market Pavilion interior wall); and Projections (2 artists selected, $1,500 stipend each, 1-week installation at Farmers Market Pavilion or Supra Pavilion at Riverfront Park). Applicants may submit for multiple categories but must submit one application per category. Up to 3 applications are allowed per applicant. Work samples may include up to 16 images, 4 audio files, and 4 video files (minimum 2 total samples, maximum 24 total). The Cultural Currents Advisory Committee will select finalists based on public accessibility, artist response to application questions, concept and form, craftsmanship and material integrity, and site context. The project provides technical assistance and installation expertise to selected artists. Contact Claire Schechtman at [email protected] for application assistance.