The Art Walk at the Bradford Rail Trail is an effort by Team Haverhill, in cooperation with the Friends of the Bradford Rail Trail and the City of Haverhill, that added five public art sculptures to the trail. Team Haverhill has partnered with Creative Haverhill, a nonprofit community arts organization, and SJ Art Consulting, a local arts gallery and business, to assist with soliciting artwork from artists for three new sculptures to be added to the expanded Bradford Rail Trail in 2023-2024.
The original Bradford Rail Trail is a half-mile path running along the Merrimack River between the Basiliere and the Comeau Bridges. In 2008, the City purchased the land compliments of a state grant and a donation from the Greater Haverhill Foundation. The City and the Friends of the Bradford Rail Trail, a volunteer group, created the path for pedestrians, cyclists, joggers and other non-motorized users.
The Trail includes a variety of features, including benches, and historical and educational markers. The official opening took place on June 24, 2017.
The Art Walk currently includes 5 sculptures along the trail for the public to enjoy.
City Song Susan Kneeland
Cyclist David Barrus
The Path to Progress Dale Rogers, Jr
Two Sisters II Jack Welch
Sculpture 3 Susan Blim
In 2019, the City received more than a million dollars in state funding for the Bradford Rail Trail Extension, which runs from the Route 125 overpass to the Crescent Yacht Club. At the 2021 Possible Dreams visioning event, Team Haverhill members proposed adding artwork to the new extension, which was completed in autumn 2022. Pentucket Bank is the major sponsor of the Bradford Rail Trail Extension Art Walk. Their $30,000 donation will be used for the purchase and installation of up to three permanent sculptures along the completed Bradford Rail Trail Extension and includes an amount for maintenance and upkeep.
As part of the project, Team Haverhill is partnering with the Haverhill Garden Club to assist with installation of an “Edible Avenue” garden of indigenous edible plants that will be installed along the trail beginning in the autumn of 2023.
2023 Bradford Rail Trail Extension Sculptures
Team Haverhill has partnered with Creative Haverhill, a nonprofit community arts organization, to assist with soliciting artwork from artists for the three new sculptures on the expanded Bradford Rail Trail. Creative Haverhill is working closely with Sarah LoVasco of SJ Art Consulting to curate these next 3 sculptures.
Sculpture 1 – A Divvied Dadaism Emoted
The acquisition of Waldo Evan Jesperson’s kinetic sculpture titled “A Divvied Dadaism Emoted” was made possible through a state earmark by Representative Andy Vargas and was selected in partnership with Ryan Kelley of Wire by Ryan. Watch this space for unveiling details!
Jesperson is a Merrimack Valley-based sculptor, working in a variety of mediums to “elegantly resolve challenging situations,” through his artmaking. His work has been shown around the world, and we are excited that this brilliant red, kinetic sculpture will be the first to be installed along the Bradford Rail Trail extension, leading the charge for future artwork. We look forward to how this sculpture, which was made to explore balance and movement, will help us to experience the weather systems along the Merrimack River as it moves and changes with the wind. More of Jesperson’s work can be found at his website. This sculpture will be installed in Summer of 2023.
Call to Artists for 2023 Bradford Rail Trail Extension Sculptures
Sculpture 2 – Artist in Residency Program for the 2023/2024 academic year
Creative Haverhill and SJ Art Consulting, in partnership with the Haverhill High School Fine Arts Academy, have established an Artist in Residency Program for the 2023/2024 academic year, which will create a sculpture to be installed following the 2023/24 academic school year, between the summer and fall of 2024. We are currently seeking artists who are interested in working with High School-aged students, have a long-term studio practice, and have experience in creating and implementing artwork accessible to the public.
Interested artists should read through the detailed Call for Art document Call For Art_AIRProgram, and apply using this link. If you have any questions about the program, email Sarah LoVasco of SJ Art Consulting at sarah@sjaci.com or Erin Padilla, Director of Creative Haverhill, at erin.cogswellarts@gmail.com.
Sculpture 3 – Summer 2024
We will use a community-based outreach process to assemble a group of about six artists/sculptures that will be presented to the residents of Haverhill, who will vote on which artist and proposed sculpture speaks to them. (Pictured is the People’s Choice winner from the original group of sculptures.)
The selected Artist will either sell a pre-existing sculpture to the City for installation along the Rail Trail or will be asked to create a specific piece relevant to our community. These details will be finalized over the course of 2023, and early 2024, following the Artist in Residence programming. We will prioritize artists that have been underrepresented in Haverhill public art.
Here’s a bit more background about the original project
The call for artists to submit sculptures for consideration took place in February 2015. Fourteen talented and experienced artists submitted ideas – some with multiple submissions. The selected artists include People’s Choice winner David Borrus, selected by a public vote, as well as Susan Blim, Susan Kneeland, Dale Rogers, and Jack Welch, who were selected by the Art Walk committee.
As with many Team Haverhill projects, the funding for the Art Walk at the Bradford Rail Trail comes from both residents and businesses. On November 16, 2013, Team Haverhill hosted an Auction Gala in support of the Art Walk at the Bradford Rail Trail at the Haverhill Country Club. Haverhill’s own Matt Noyes from NECN served as the MC and Auctioneer and the entertainment was provided by the Spotlight Playhouse. It was a fun and successful evening for all who were able to attend! From our business community, Pentucket Bank has generously stepped forward as the Corporate Sponsor of the Art Walk itself. They are have long been a supporter of Team Haverhill’s work and are excited about this most recent endeavor.
