Welland\u2019s largest art gallery isn\u2019t inside a building. It\u2019s hidden in plain sight, and chances are you\u2019ve driven past a dozen of its pieces without noticing.<\/p>\n
Forty murals are spread across Welland, painted on nondescript Bell utility boxes that line sidewalks and boulevards throughout the city. Themes range from the Main Street Bridge and the former Welland Canal to roses \u2014 a nod to the city\u2019s nickname, the Rose City.<\/p>\n
The collection has been growing since 2021, when Aldo Parrotta and his wife, Sylvia, spotted painted Bell boxes while visiting their daughter in Toronto and brought the idea back home to Welland.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought it was a great idea and something that could work very well here. I contacted the person running the Toronto program, Michael Cavanaugh, and worked with his organization during our first year in Welland. After that first year, I took what I had learned and made it our own locally operated program.\u201d<\/p>\n
Funding<\/p>\n
In 2021, part of the $13,200 in city funding received went to the Toronto organization because Parrotta was working through its program and learning the process. The funding now stays in the city; this year, Art on Welland Bell Boxes, a non-profit organization, received $9,520 through the Community Grant Program.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe funding allows us to complete approximately 10 to 12 new boxes, depending on how many locations Bell approves. The $9,520 not only pays for the new murals, but also supports the entire program and the continued care of all the boxes painted since 2021,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Brianna De Paulo\u2019s work can be seen at 310 St. George St. in southwest Welland.<\/p>\n
Dave Johnson\/Welland Tribune<\/p>\n
\u201cFor a relatively small investment, the city receives new public art, paid opportunities for local artists, ongoing maintenance of the existing collection and a growing cultural attraction that people can enjoy year after year.\u201d<\/p>\n
The funding covers artist payments and all aspects of the program\u2019s operation: locating, preparing and maintaining boxes; photography, video and social media promotion; website hosting; and mapping, cataloguing and record-keeping.<\/p>\n
Approvals and locations<\/p>\n
Bell manages approvals and authorization involving company equipment, the city provides the funding and Parrotta operates and delivers the program.<\/p>\n
\u201cI locate the potential boxes, work with Bell in Ottawa, organize the call for artists, review the applications, prepare and clean the boxes, inspect the locations to make sure they are safe for the artists, co-ordinate the painting period, apply the protective coating and maintain the collection after the work is finished,\u201d said Parrotta. \u201cI always identify more boxes than we actually need, because not every box will be approved. I send the locations to Bell, and they check whether those boxes are suitable for painting.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
James Takeo\u2019s art work on Division Street sits near Welland Central Fire Station.<\/p>\n
Dave Johnson\/Welland Tribune<\/p>\n
He said Bell first looks at whether a box \u2014 a standard dark olive green steel telecommunications cabinet filled with cables and equipment \u2014 may be removed, replaced, relocated or decommissioned. The company also considers whether road construction, new development or a future subdivision could affect the location. It does not provide any funding, paint or artist supplies.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not want an artist spending days painting a box only to have it removed shortly afterward. Once Bell tells me which boxes are available, I revisit the locations and look at them from the artist\u2019s perspective. I check the condition of the box, the ground around it, traffic, visibility, available space and anything else that could create a safety issue. Artists can suggest a specific box or an area they would like to work in, but I cannot guarantee that location.\u201d<\/p>\n
Local artists<\/p>\n
Beyond the physical assessment of the boxes, Parrotta said there are also requirements for who can take on the work, including living in the city or having a direct and meaningful family connection to the city.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe funding comes from the city, so I believe it is important that the opportunity supports artists who are part of, or directly connected to, this community. The program is intended to create opportunities for Welland artists. There is a lot of artistic talent in Welland, and this program is one way to give those artists a paid public opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Chris Lagesten\u2019s work sits just north of the Welland Courthouse on the east side of Cross Street.<\/p>\n
Dave Johnson\/Welland Tribune<\/p>\n
When it comes to selecting artists, it is a competitive and curated process, not first-come, first-served. Parrotta enjoys seeing new artists apply because it\u2019s an opportunity for someone to take a step forward and show what they can do.<\/p>\n
\u201cI review the applications based on originality, visual strength, the artist\u2019s connection to the theme, whether the design is appropriate for a public setting and whether it can work successfully across the entire utility box,\u201d said Parrotta. \u201cBell also has rules about what can and cannot appear on its equipment. There cannot be corporate logos, advertising, political messaging, inappropriate language or anything that would not be suitable for a broad public audience.\u201d<\/p>\n
There cannot be too much blank space and designs should cover the box as fully as possible because large blank areas can invite tagging and graffiti.<\/p>\n
Parrotta said this year\u2019s theme is roses, connecting the program to Welland\u2019s identity as the Rose City, and Bell agreed that it would be a strong direction. The deadline for artists to apply was July 25.<\/p>\n
Selected artists are paid for their work, but provide their own exterior latex paint, brushes and other painting supplies. There is no separate material reimbursement. Guidance is provided on the type of exterior paint that should be used and which parts of the box cannot be covered, such as locks, vents, identification markings and operating components.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the deadline, I review the applications and designs, contact the selected artists and complete the approval process for the designs and locations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Painting period<\/p>\n
The painting period is scheduled from\u00a0Aug. 23 to Sept. 5, and Parrotta will head out ahead of that time to prepare the boxes and make sure the locations are safe and ready to paint.<\/p>\n
He will also continue to inspect, clean, coat, document and promote the already completed boxes. Residents contact him directly when they notice something wrong with one of the boxes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey may email me and say that a box has been tagged, damaged or needs attention. I then go out, look at it and determine what needs to be done. A large part of the work involves physically travelling throughout Welland to visit the boxes, inspect them, clean them and apply the protective coating, which helps protect the artwork from the weather, ultraviolet exposure, dirt and graffiti. Every completed box is coated twice a year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aldo Parrotta wants to expose local artists\u2019 work to Rose City residents this summer<\/p>\n
He said over the years, there have only been three incidents of graffiti, involving two boxes \u2014 one of which was tagged twice.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is a fairly low number considering how accessible they are. When appropriate, I may contact the original artist to assist with repairs. When the issue involves Bell\u2019s equipment rather than the painted surface, I contact Bell.\u201d<\/p>\n