professional membership

Featured Member

Project:	IN FLUX Initiative
Organization:	Scottsdale Public Art

Initiative. This word brings to mind new beginnings, determination and innovation. Just the thing for an economy that delivers lemons—take initiative—make lemonade.

There is modern wisdom in the old adage when life gives you lemons…

In Arizona, citrus trees thrive. We know what to do with lemons.

October 2010––Scottsdale Public Art (SPA) launched IN FLUX, an initiative to connect with and support local artists, merchants, and property owners, bringing renewed vitality to downtown Scottsdale through a series of multidisciplinary temporary storefront installations. IN FLUX featured city border-crossing partnerships to reach new audiences and artists in the greater Phoenix area, co-curation with stakeholders and the public, in-kind participation nearly matching the total project budget, and artworks that were at once eye candy and conversation-inducing conceptual pieces.

The seven installations ranged from imaginary, at times larger than life, flora and fauna to hundreds of repurposed teddy bears. In one performance piece, an artist walked the entire length of the city. Another featured the meticulous craftsmanship of literally building a sailboat in the storefront to illustrate the artist’s own mythology about optimism. Conceptually, each artist’s work directly or indirectly addressed the ever changing and challenging times faced on a personal, local, and global level.

The positive intent of IN FLUX was reflected in a common thread connecting each artwork—they expanded the vision for our collective futures in the new economy.

Lemonade from lemons prevailed.

Although IN FLUX began as a temporary pilot program, it was so favorably embraced by merchants, artists, city staff, and the community at large, that Scottsdale Public Art is bringing it back for a second season. This judgment received further affirmation from master planning consultants Jerry Allen and Jack Mackie, who indicated the continuation and expansion of IN FLUX in their preliminary recommendations for the future of Scottsdale Public Art (master plan to be completed winter 2012.

Preceding the call to Arizona artists for IN FLUX season two, SPA released RECHARGE, a video documenting IN FLUX season one with artist interviews and project management commentary featuring music by a local band. The upcoming IN FLUX call to artists (October 2011) offers an assortment of new opportunities including residency-based installations to facilitate an interactive art experience as well as street presence for artworks and performances in vacant lots.

Many tactics that led to a successful inaugural year for IN FLUX have influenced planning for season two including comprehensive outreach and direct support to artists throughout the entire process. SPA is currently forming partnerships with other Phoenix metro organizations to hold pre-submittal meetings featuring one-on-one interactions in multiple locations to increase accessibility. This approach contributes to the cultivation of Arizona’s budding creative population, a necessity recognized statewide.

The low cost, high impact, quick turnaround projects of IN FLUX have proven an ideal way to soften the impact of the new economy, bolstering a community that thrives on art in everyday life. Responsive programs like IN FLUX demonstrate the holistic power of public art in modern society.

Organization Contact:	Kirstin Van Cleef
Project Contact:	Kirstin Van Cleef