We applied for last month's Awesome grant with a proposal for a concept we called ArtBox, which would see a reclaimed shipping container turn into an Art House for use in local parks. However, we've made a few changes to this concept over the past few weeks!
The biggest change is that we now want to use a bicycle to pull our ArtBox, which would be smaller than originally proposed, and housed on a custom built bike trailer. A wonderful bike-powered moving company in Sweden is our inspiration (see www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2014/03/bicycle-powered-moving-companys-sales-pitch-were-just-faster/8701/ for an image).

This ArtBox would be ridden to and staffed over the course of the summer, and offer FREE art experiences to children and families. The ArtBox would contain all the needed arts supplies - paints, papers, presses etc - all purchased/donated through the two local arts-supply stores in our neighbourhood. During the off season, our ArtBox would simply be stored in a garage until the beginning of the next summer season.

This community is the perfect place for the inaugural ArtBox to reside, with both a dense familial demographic and vibrant residential and commercial artistic pulse.

We are very excited about the potential of this project. In an era of arts funding being slashed, and children receiving little to no opportunity to experience art - painting, printmaking, sculpture etc - the ArtBox could expose hundreds of kids to the magic of art every year. Our ArtBox could ridden to ANY local park and used during ANY arts festivals. Imagine the possibilities!