What is an ART Exchange Box?
Art Exchange Boxes provide a wonderful opportunity for community engagement and creativity. These boxes allow community members to “take art and leave art,” or art supplies, fostering creativity in an interactive and accessible community space. Chesapeake Arts Center (CAC) is constructing several Art Exchange Boxes to be placed at locations in West and North Anne Arundel County during Anne Arundel ARTS MONTH (June) and throughout the summer and fall. Boxes will be placed at CAC, Baltimore Washington Medical Center, and the Linthicum, Brooklyn Park, and Crofton Libraries.
With the help of our community, CAC will fill all the boxes with artwork and art supplies. CAC is seeking additional locations around the County to place more Art Exchange Boxes; please click the buttons at right to find out how you can fund a Box or have one located at your business, organization, or in your community.
How can your organization get involved?
If your organization is located in Anne Arundel County and is interested in taking part in ARTS MONTH activities this June, consider being part of one or more of the collaborative projects around CAC’s Art Exchange Box Project!
Sponsor an Art Exchange Box
Invite your company to partner with us to bring Art Exchange Boxes to our county.
Your sponsorship of $500 will play a pivotal role in supporting this impactful community initiative and offers your company the following benefits: Prominent Visibility | Community Impact | Arts Advocacy | Employee Engagement
Your support of an Art Exchange Box will create lasting, positive change and ensure that art remains an accessible and shared experience for all.
Host an Art Exchange Box at your site
If your business or organization is located in West or North Anne Arundel County and would like to host an Art Exchange Box at your site, please contact Nicole Caracia at Ncaracia@chesapeakearts.org. CAC plans to produce several boxes exclusively during June (Arts Month), with aspirations to create more boxes in the future. Each business location is eligible to apply for one box at no cost. These Boxes must be accessible to the public, preferably without the need for a permit. Should your location necessitate a permit, the responsibility lies with the business/organization to secure the required documentation.
Help Build an Art Exchange Box
Join us in contributing to this community project as part of ARTS MONTH by collaborating with your team to construct an Art Exchange Box at the CAC MakerSpace. Even if you are not hosting an Art Exchange Box at your location, you can still participate in constructing an Art Box in our MakerSpace with a group from your business, organization, or community. Our MakerSpace can accommodate up to 6 people at one time to work on assembling an Art Exchange Box.
Create artwork to fill an Art Exchange Box
Artwork plays a significant role in this project. To celebrate Art Week in North County from June 15 to June 21, we will be organizing pop-up workshops at CAC and other locations in West and North County for kids, families, adults, and community groups to create artwork (and assemble art supply kits) for the Art Boxes. When we deliver each Art Exchange Box to locations around the County, they will be filled with both artwork and art supplies.
If your location is interested in hosting a pop-up workshop led by CAC, please contact Nicole Caracia at Ncaracia@chesapeakearts.org to schedule one.
What is the timeline for this project?
6/4 - 6/29
Art Exchange Boxes will be built by community members at CAC’s Michael Stanley MakerSpace.6/15 - 6/21
Community members will create art projects at CAC and other community locations to fill the boxes with artwork. (Will continue through the summer.)6/18 | 10:30 am
The first Art Exchange Box will be unveiled at a ribbon cutting ceremony at CAC. ALL are welcome!June 15 - June 21
Community members will create art projects at CAC and other community locations to fill the boxes with artwork.June - August
Art Exchange Boxes and art starter kits (art materials) will be delivered to locations around North and West County.
FAQ’s
If you would like to apply to have a box at your business/organization, we suggest locating it outside and accessible to the public. They will be weathersealed. Your organization will be responsible for contacting 811 to notify all appropriate utility companies of your intent to dig and put the box into the ground.
CAC will supply artwork and art supplies in each Art Exchange Box when they are delivered to a site. Artwork and art supplies in each of the Art Exchange Boxes are free for the public to take. We ask community members to replenish the Boxes with new artworks and new supplies.
The Boxes will have a standard design but your organization can provide input on the Box’s exterior colors. The Boxes will look fun, artistic, and creative! Each Box will have a plaque with an organization’s name and may also have a sponsor plaque.
CAC will display a map with the locations of all the boxes on our website so community members can find them throughout the county.
