Maloney Announces NEA Award to Local Artist Melissa McGill
Press Release
Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) announced that local artist Melissa McGill, through a partnership with the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT), has been selected to receive an National Endowment for the Arts grant for $20,000 to support her Constellation project.
Constellation is a large-scale sculptural installation installed around the ruins of Bannerman's Castle on Pollepel Island in the section of the Hudson River that passes through the Hudson Highlands. Every evening, as the sun goes down, 17 starry lights (solar powered LEDs) will emerge one by one with the stars of the night sky, creating a new constellation and connecting past and present through this inspiring light-based public art project.
The project is currently scheduled to be launch in June of 2015 and remain on the island for two years. Constellation will have many varied vantage points including the Amtrak and Metro-North commuter trains, nearby hiking trails, and heavily trafficked roads on both sides of the river.
"This investment in the arts will highlight the Hudson Valley's natural beauty and serve millions of visitors who travel through our region each year," said Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney. "I look forward to joining my neighbors and enjoying the Constellation project as starry lights emerge above Bannerman Castle."
NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, "I'm pleased to be able to share the news of our support through Art Works including the award to Melissa McGill. The arts foster value, connection, creativity and innovation for the American people and these recommended grants demonstrate those attributes and affirm that the arts are part of our everyday lives."
"I'm honored to receive this support from the NEA," said McGill. "This award brings us closer to being able to launch Constellation this summer, creating a free community-building public art work on the site of Pollepel Island in the Hudson River."
The Natural Heritage Trust is a public benefit corporation that leverages public and private funding to enhance programs and activities in New York State Parks. "Much like the Walkway Over The Hudson State Historic Park and the Copake Gateway Project, two other recent Hudson Valley projects that we were pleased to partner with, Constellation is a very exciting and unique project taking place in one of our most unique State Parks," said Allen Payne, Executive Director of the Natural Heritage Trust. "Between the Metro-North railway; riverside roads such as Route 9D; and hiking trails along Breakneck Ridge, Storm King Mountain, Mt. Taurus and other peaks in the Hudson Highlands State Park; Bannerman Island is already viewed by more than two million people a year. We expect Constellation to even further increase the Park's visibility and prominence as visitors from all over the world journey to the Hudson Highlands to watch the stars light up at dusk every evening."
Art Works grants support the creation of art, public engagement with art, lifelong learning in the arts, and enhancement of the livability of communities through the arts. The NEA received 1,474 eligible applications, under the Art Works category, requesting more than $75 million in funding. Of those applications, 919 are recommended for grants for a total of $26.6 million.
For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov. Follow the conversation about this and other NEA funded projects on Twitter at #NEAFall2014.
For more information about Constellation, visit http://melissamcgillconstellation.com/, or one of the project's social media channels:
http://instagram.com/mm_constellation
http://www.facebook.com/constellationbymelissamcgill
http://twitter.com/mmconstellation
A brief video introduction to the project can be viewed at http://melissamcgillconstellation.com/endorsements/.
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