The Long Beach Airport (LGB), in partnership with the Arts Council for Long Beach (ACLB), is seeking submissions from local artists who are women for a pandemic-themed art exhibit. Submissions should reflect uplifting and hopeful messages related to the pandemic.
“The arts showcase who we are as a city,” says Mayor Robert Garcia. “I look forward to sharing more of it with people traveling through our great city.”
Artists must upload digital files to the ACLB website by Saturday, Nov. 14. Selected art pieces will be printed and installed on large construction barricades in highly trafficked, publicly accessible areas of the airport for a minimum of six months. Nearly 20 pieces will be chosen for display, and artists will receive a $500 honorarium for each piece selected by the panel.
“The pandemic has hit the aviation industry very hard,” said Airport Director Cynthia Guidry. “We are excited to support our local arts community and to display artwork that is timely and relevant for our travelers and the general public.”
The focus on artists who are women is part of ACLB’s National Endowment for the Arts grant commemorating the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. Funding for the project is provided by the City’s Percent for the Arts Program, which sets aside one percent of capital construction projects for the arts, in coordination with ACLB’s Keep Arts Working program, which recognizes COVID-19’s impact on the arts community.
“A partnership with Long Beach Airport during a pandemic and a national struggle for racial justice means so much,” said Griselda Suarez, Executive Director for the Arts Council for Long Beach. “Long Beach Airport is making room for artists who identify as women to express themselves. We are grateful for this opportunity for visual art to be a vehicle to illuminate our lives and also alleviate our stress.”
Known for its ease and convenience, LGB has taken numerous measures to improve health and safety, such as enhanced cleaning protocols, installation of physical barriers and additional hand sanitizer stations, physical distancing and a face covering requirement for all employees and visitors. The airport boasts one of the few outdoor concourses in the nation, offering travelers the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air while they wait for their flight.