Art of Bowie's Past and Present Wanted for New City Hall

“Belair at Bowie – Celebrating 50 years” will open in mid October and run through December as the first art show in the new city hall’s galleries. The art will hang in the building’s second floor galleries.

The Bowie Arts Committee, which advises the city council on artistic matters, will judge entries. The committee is encouraging all Maryland artists and photographers 18 and over to submit original art and photography relating to Bowie’s past and present.

Interested artists can bring their framed and matted images to city hall to be judged on Oct. 8. Under submission requirements, artists can submit as many as two images, both of which may be accepted for the show.

And while the show will run from October till the end of the year, it’s not too early for visual artists to think about submitting work for the city hall galleries next year and beyond, said Annette Esterheld, the city government’s art specialist.

Artists who wish to submit work for future art shows must send the Arts Committee a representative portfolio of their work on CD. Under those requirements for exhibition, artists must be 18 and over and be residents of communities with a Bowie zip code.

Because the first show covers a period of 50 years, all Maryland artists and photogs are allowed to enter, which will allow former Bowie residents to submit their work of Bowie’s past, said Esterheld.

For artists under 18, the Arts Committee is planning a gallery for young artists for the city hall’s first floor gallery.

Currently, there are two pieces of art at city hall, which the city commissioned to be created for the new building.  Outside in the front of city hall is the 15 foot-tall “Bowie Portal Sundial,” commissioned at a cost of about $90,000. Hanging inside city hall is a large kinetic sculpture. The “Triple Crown” cost about $80,000 to commission.

The art galleries, the commissioning of the two pieces, art scholarships for graduating high school seniors, grants for groups and individuals in both the visual and performing arts, and future funding by the city council of about $30,000 for art acquisition in years to come are all part of the implementation of the city’s public arts policy.

Of course the overall goal, said Arts Committee Chairwoman Kathleen Parker, is to encourage the arts in Bowie. “We want to enhance public places and buildings; we want to let people know that art is important to life.”

The Bowie heritage art show will feature about 20 to 25 pieces of art. All the galleries in new city hall on Excalibur Road will allow for approximately 30 to 35 pieces of art. In the former city hall on Kenhill Drive, a much smaller building than the new city hall, nearly three times as much art was hung.

The Kenhill building has traditional square walls, noted Bowie City Manager David J. Deutsch. The new building, with circular angled walls, doesn’t allow for as much space for art, he said.

“We’re very excited that we will have new art,” said Deutsch. “This is a public building, and art belongs here.”