public art opportunity for queens based artists
About this opportunity:
City as Living Laboratory (CALL) is seeking artists to engage and work with the Corona, Queens community to create socially engaged art projects as a component of the Water // Ways Cloudburst Initiative. This is a milestone based paid opportunity, ultimately leading to a final public project. The proposed start period is in early Summer 2026, and would extend throughout Summer 2027. CALL values long term engagement that moves at the speed of trust, and is open to flexibility regarding the timeline of the project.
**About Water//Ways and the Cloudburst Initiative
**What are Cloudbursts?
A maze of streams and wetlands were once visible across the landscape of New York City. Now in pipes buried underground, these waterways become visible again during heavy rains. A cloudburst is the name given to sudden and intense rainfalls in a short amount of time. They can cause severe flooding, property damage, disrupt critical infrastructure, pollute New York’s rivers and Harbor, and even result in fatalities. Frequent flooding disrupts daily life and damages support systems, particularly for some of New York City’s most vulnerable residents. The Water // Ways Cloudburst Initiative in Corona reiterates and reaffirms CALL’s multifaceted approach, highlighting how art and science can address environmental challenges and empower communities.
Corona, Queens, is a vibrant, diverse neighborhood with one of the largest and most densely populated immigrant communities in the City. Corona’s low-lying topography and history of discriminatory urban planning practices, akin to redlining, make it highly vulnerable to cloudbursts. Heavy rains often overwhelm the sewer system, and lead to flooding. This is a particularly dire issue in a neighborhood where many basements are used as housing. Today, this increasing urgency of flooding intersects with human expansion and social transformation. CALL’s Water // Ways Initiative collaborates with DEP to bring together artists, scientists, and local communities, ensuring all voices are included and engaged in the success of the project.