WORCESTER, MA – March 23, 2021 – In the Worcester Cultural Coalition’s ongoing work to support a walkable downtown filled with local art, Worcester Windows announces its next public phase: PULP. After a series of COVID-conscious opening nights at the Worcester PopUp, PULP has been restaged in storefronts throughout downtown Worcester. The storefront window iteration, in collaboration with local business, will remain in place until the end of summer 2021.
PULP represents a new phase of Worcester Windows in its embrace of non-traditional definitions of art. The work on display represents Worcester’s vibrant community of alternative artists: indie comic and zine creators, tattoo artists, graffiti writers, and fashion designers. “This exhibition of incredibly talented local work collectively demonstrates themes of community and revolution through subversive mediums; themes that have been on nationwide display recently,” said Hank von Hellion, Managing Director of the Worcester PopUp and the Worcester Windows program.
Von Hellion says PULP is unique in that it is, “the first Worcester Windows exhibit to provide prize money to artists whose work was deemed ‘Best of Show’ by a panel of JMAC staff and members of the Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District.”
“The Downtown Worcester BID is thrilled to support the Worcester Cultural Coalition and the Worcester PopUp in the Worcester Windows PULP exhibition,” said Evelyn Darling, executive Director of the Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District (BID). “By showcasing local artists’ work in Downtown windows, this exhibit helps them gain more exposure and enlivens our sidewalks.”
The Downtown Worcester BID provided $1,000 in prize money for PULP. The top three prizes were awarded to artists Naama Commander, Aqua Carter, and Luca Colizzi. Honorable mentions were given to artists Chris King and Ted Lilley. For a full list of artists and locations of Worcester Windows displays, click here.
The Worcester PopUp at the Jean McDonough Arts Center, or JMAC, is a unique creative and local incubator space that operates under the JMAC umbrella. Alongside its sister space, the BrickBox, it is a community-minded multi-space venue directed by a team dedicated to cultivating diverse creative engagement and access for all.
About Worcester Windows: Worcester Windows is a program of the Worcester Cultural Coalition. It is currently managed by the staff of the Worcester PopUp. If you own a storefront and would like to participate in this program, contact the PopUp at popup@jmacworcester.org.
About the Jean McDonough Arts Center: Comprised of the ever-changing “permanent” PopUp and the intimate BrickBox Theater, the Jean McDonough Arts Center (JMAC) is an initiative of the Worcester Cultural Coalition, and home to myriad creative events and cultural initiatives. Individuals and groups can present or develop a wide range of work at the JMAC, including but not limited to work in theatre, dance, film, music, performance art, visual art, fashion design and video game design. Learn more at JMACWorcester.org.
About the Worcester Cultural Coalition: The Worcester Cultural Coalition (WCC) is a public-private partnership established in 1999 between the City of Worcester and twelve cultural organizations. Today membership stands at 80 organizations, accounting for more than 2.7 million visitors to Worcester in calendar 2015, up from 1.5 million in 2006. Its mission is to draw on Worcester’s rich and diverse cultural assets to foster economic revitalization, support active, creative engagement for all and promote a strong cultural identity for Greater Worcester. Learn more at WorcesterCulture.org.
About the Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District: Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District is a nonprofit organization established in 2018 to sustain momentum in the heart of Downtown Worcester. The result of a comprehensive community-based effort, the organization represents the owners of 140 properties and seeks to create a unique sense of place through enhanced investment and development, establishing and sustaining a vibrant, welcoming, and economically viable district for all. Learn more at DowntownWorcester.org.
