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http://earthisland.org/streetsalive

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Berkeley High's Arts and Humanities Academy Unveiling JUNE 1st 6pm!

Installation has begun on the 3 boxes designed by the talented Berkeley High Arts and Humanities Academy (AHA). Their artwork theme, "Looking Back to See Our Way Forward" focuses on the sustainability of education. AHA's boxes feature 12 portraits of Berkeley High School Alums who have made major contributions in writing, activism, environmentalism, entertainment, sports, music and more.

Please join us for the official unveiling this Friday, June 1st at 6pm at the corner of Allston Way and Milvia in Berkeley. Not to be missed!


Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Streets Alive! is Looking for a Project Intern

The Earth Island Institute is seeking a highly motivated intern to provide integral support to the Streets Alive! project of the Earth Island Institute (with the possibility of providing additional support to other Earth Island Institute projects). The Streets Alive! project is placing sustainability themed art on 60 utility boxes in downtown Berkeley. To learn more about Streets Alive! visit http://earthisland.org/streetsalive.

We are looking for an intern to work directly with the Streets Alive! Project Director and the Streets Alive! Project Associate at the Earth Island Institute. The intern will gain valuable experience in project support by assisting in a variety of exciting and diverse tasks (see below).
Location: Earth Island Institute 2150 Allston Way, Suite 460 Berkeley CA 94619

Our ideal candidate will be:
- Organized
- Detail oriented
- Efficient
- Creative
- Possess strong verbal and written communication skills
- Have a willingness to learn new skills (including introduction to grant writing)
- Experience in community organizing highly desirable
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, Mac Pages and Google Applications is highly desirable

Tasks will include:
- Organizing art submissions
- Community outreach
- Research
- Event production
- Creative projects
- Public Relations and Marketing
- Blogging, social networking, website updates
- Graphic design
- Data entry
- Mapping
- Writing
- Working with community stakeholders and local government

This is:
- an unpaid position (however, this is a great place to work and you will learn a lot!)
- a position for someone who is looking to build their resume and is passionate about the environment, community building, art and sustainability.
- 10-15 hours a week with a 2 month commitment.

Earth Island Institute is an equal opportunity employer.

How to apply:

Please send a cover letter and resume to christina.streetsalive@gmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you!



Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Streets Alive! Utility Boxes as Habitat

A butterfly on one of D. Cichon's utility boxes on Shattuck and University, May 11th.


Thursday, May 3, 2012

Do the UC Berkeley Utility Box Walking Tour on your own!

Didn't make it to the UCB Unveiling last week? Follow this link to download the walking tour PDF and do the tour on your own! 




Q&A with Jennifer McDougall, UC Berkeley Principal Planner


Meet Jennifer McDougall
Principal Planner
UC Berkeley Physical and Environmental Planning

Q: What have you learned so far, working on this project?

A: I’ve learned to admire the Earth Island Institute, and the work they do facilitating environmental activists.  (No one paid me to say that!)  Our selection committee includes the campus landscape architect; a staff member at the Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive who works with young artists; and is supplemented by representatives of the City’s art commission.  Also my colleague Kira Stoll from the campus Office of Sustainability who is a photographer herself.  All people with much more refined sensibilities than mine, and I have enjoyed hearing meaningful discussion of art.  It can be more than just a matter of what you like!

Q: What is UC Berkeley’s selection criteria for the designs to be installed on the 7 boxes designated to the CAL community?

A: Our chief selection criteria is that the designs we select are beautiful or evocative.  To be considered, though, the designs need a sustainability theme, and the artist needs to have some affiliation with UC Berkeley, as student, alumnus, or employee of the campus.

Q: What do you hope will come out of this project for the UC Berkeley community?

A: The project overall is asking people to notice and take care of our environment.  I hope the project will help our campus community notice and care for our shared public spaces, too.  The fact that we’re part of a larger project perfectly demonstrates how campus and city are aligned in so many ways, share so many interests, and both want to thrive while protecting the planet.
 
Artist, Robbin Légère Henderson with Jennifer McDougall, Jim Horner (Campus Landscape Architect, UC Berkeley - Capital Projects), and Kira Stoll (UC Berkeley Office of Sustainability) on Oxford & Berkeley Way at the unveiling on April 24th, 2012!

UC Berkeley Sustainability Art Work Unveiling - How it went!

On Tuesday, April 24th, a group of UC Berkeley campus and community members and our newest Streets Alive! UCB artists gathered to inaugurate another round of utility boxes on the Telegraph and Downtown Berkeley areas. 

The art was placed on Utility Boxes owned by the City of Berkeley, and was paid for by the University of California Berkeley’s Chancellor Community Partnership Fund.  Local artists were chosen to design original works based on the theme of “Sustainability,” and the University worked in partnership with the City of Berkeley’s Civic Arts Commission to select and approve the art. 

Thanks to the $20,000 grant from the UC Berkeley Chancellor’s Community Partnership Fund, Streets Alive was able to work with UC Berkeley partners from the Office of Sustainability and UC Berkeley’s Office of Capitol Projects to place art on 7 boxes around the campus edge. The effort was produced by the Earth Island Institute’s Streets Alive Initiative, which aims to bring more art and nature to the streetscape.

Celebrating the new boxes was Associate Chancellor of UC Berkeley Linda Williams, City Berkeley City Councilmember Jesse Arreguin, Kira Stoll of the UC Berkeley Sustainability Department, Jennifer McDougall and Jim Horner from UC Berkeley’s Office of Capitol Projects, Julie Sinai from the Chancellor’s Community Partnership Fund, Roland Peterson from the Telegraph Business District Association, Ariana Katovich from the Streets Alive Initiative, members of the Earth Island Institute, local artists and interested community members.

A short reception on the steps of UCB's MLK Student Union was followed by a walking tour which included speeches by the artists who designed the box, a Q&A session with the printer and installer, Bay Area Sign Installation, and remarks from the University, the Earth Island Institute and Councilmember Arreguin.

The works that were unveiled were:
- “Grow” by Erin Johnson at the corner of Durant and Telegraph
- “Cross Section” by Keenan Gravier at the corner of Telegraph and Bancroft
- “Plum Blossoms" and "Power Pole” by Robbin Légère Henderson at the corner of Berkeley Way and Oxford
- “Sending Signals” by Brad Aldridge at the corner of Hearst and Oxford
- “Leaf Study” and “Tree Cathedral” by Dotti Cichon at Shattuck and University

Linda Williams (UC Berkeley Associate Chancellor). Jesse Arreguín (Berkeley City Council representing District 4), Jennifer McDougall (Principal Planner, Capital Projects – Facilities Services) and Kira Stoll (Sustainability Manager, Office of Sustainability) with Erin Johnson's utility box "Grow" on Telegraph & Durant

For the whole album from the event follow this link, and like us on Facebook!




Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Streets Alive! on Facebook & Twitter

The Streets Alive! Website is Up!

 
If you haven't checked out our website yet, you should! On there you can find:
  • information about all of our projects, including the Streets Alive! utility box project!
  • all of our most recent news & updates
  • new articles about Streets Alive!
  • how to apply if you are an artist, and the new artist FAQ
  • photos and info about all of the boxes that are currently out on the streets of Berkeley!
  • how you can support Streets Alive! or sponsor a box!