In the Change Lab, we catalyze new thinking, test new approaches, and creatively disrupt the status quo to advance justice in the field of public art. We also pilot new ways of working within the field of public art and allied fields through cross-sector partnerships, on the ground research, and deep community engagement, working with communities to address inequities in all facets of public art.
Our Change Lab is a NEW initiative.
We need your support to help fuel this important work!
CHANGE LAB RESEARCH FELLOWS
Forecast’s Change Lab Research Fellows go deep into an area of critical importance, and apply findings to collectively develop a national public art policy platform rooted in justice, health and human dignity for Black, Brown, and Indigenous people. Through the Change Lab, reports developed by Fellows will become a model of change for public art programs, policies, and processes. Each fellowship is based around a specific research topic, and is open to graduate students, recent college grads, doctoral and post-doctoral researchers, artists, and public art professionals.
The fellowship is a 6-month long, funded position with a $5,000 stipend. Fellows work from their home base and can be located anywhere. Working knowledge of public art in the US and some experience with research in the topic area is important.
Our second Change Lab Research Fellow, focusing on Indigenous Visibility in Public Art: Jessica Mehta
JESSICA BEGAN HER FELLOWSHIP IN JANUARY OF 2022
A multi-award-winning Aniyunwiya interdisciplinary author and artist, Jessica is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation born and raised in the colonized land of what is today called Oregon. Space, place, and ancestry inform much of her work. We are excited to see Jessica get started in this role, and look forward to together developing a national public art policy platform that is rooted in justice, health and human dignity for Black, Brown, and Indigenous people.
“Information is at the root of public art policy reform. My hope is that, through interviews paired with supporting research from Forecast resources, my findings and paper will prove useful for helping to enact real change. I know that my fellow Native artists have stories to tell that can be the driving force behind change—after all, our stories… have always been one of our most powerful tools.“
—Jessica Mehta
“Tradish-ish”: Call Me By My Name
The Language of Calls for Native Artists
Forecast’s inaugural Change Lab Research Fellow, focused on Racial Justice in Public Art: Amina Cooper
AMINA BEGAN HER FELLOWSHIP IN MAY OF 2021
A public art administrator experienced in collection management, cultural equity and the arts, and more, we are excited to see Amina get started in this role, and look forward to together developing a national public art policy platform that is rooted in justice, health and human dignity for Black, Brown, and Indigenous people.
“It is time to talk about the lack of diversity within our public art commissions, artist selection panels, and our public art workforce. We need to address the elitism with which we dictate to communities which artworks are acceptable, and which persons and cultures are worth affirming with monuments and beautiful objects.”
— Amina Cooper, quoted in “How Public Art Programs Can Join the Movement Against Police Brutality, White Supremacy, and Anti-Black Racism”
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