Lawn Art With Neighbors (L.A.W.N.) returns in 2021 and invites the community of Springfield to create a work of art in your front lawn for a city-wide public art exhibition. L.A.W.N. is a city-wide public art exhibition made for front lawns by community members located in and around Springfield. Created as a grassroots project focused on connecting our vibrant community, L.A.W.N. seeks to empower public art made by the people as a contribution to Springfield’s sense of place and the built environment we all share.
Originally established in April 2020 as a response to COVID-19, L.A.W.N. was created as an effort to encourage art-making and viewing as a form of bolstering mental health and community building during stay-at-home orders. Now L.A.W.N. endures as a public art opportunity open to all community members and art forms. Past L.A.W.N. exhibitions included sculptures, paintings, installations, video projections, podcasts, social practice projects, and more. In fact, L.A.W.N. 2020 saw 65 front lawn art installations created by nearly 100 community members. Participants in apartment complexes without access to traditional front lawns were encouraged to create art installations on their patios or balconies, where allowable by their building management companies.
L.A.W.N. continues to be a hopeful and safe experience during challenging times as an annual public art exhibition open to all community members and art forms. Accessibility is at the core of L.A.W.N., as all are welcome to participate, including children and families, people who have never participated in an art exhibition before, and professional artists alike. L.A.W.N. Co-Founder Shauna Smith says, “Springfield is a wonderful community filled with creative and active people of all ages. L.A.W.N. aims to showcase and celebrate that creativity in every neighborhood, from one lawn to another.”
All members of the community are encouraged to participate by creating a work of art using materials available at home: sculpture, chalk art, installation, etc. in front of their residence. This project is about expressing creativity, no matter the skill level. See the L.A.W.N. Project Guide for details and ideas, or sign up to participate at https://sculpturewalkspringfield.org/sculptures/lawn-art-with-neighbors/l-a-w-n-artists/.
Important Dates:
- April 16: Participation Form due for guaranteed virtual map placement.
- April 23 – May 8: L.A.W.N. public viewing
- April 24: International Sculpture Day. Post photos of you working on your artwork on social media using #ISDay2021 and #LAWNSGF.
- May 7: First Friday Art Walk
- May 8: Official end of L.A.W.N. events.
- May 9: Feel free to take down your artwork at your convenience. If your work adheres to your neighborhood association policy, leave it up indefinitely.