TRACEY DEAR LED LIGHT / STEAM LEARNING RESIDENCY
TRACEY DEAR LED LIGHT / STEAM LEARNING RESIDENCY
for
CADDO PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOLS
BOSSIER PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Area UNIVERSITIES and SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
Produced by the
Shreveport Regional Arts Council
September 2021 Planning
October – May 2022 – Active Teaching/Designing Time
ARTISTS’ CALL
About the Shreveport Regional Arts Council: The Mission of the Shreveport Regional Arts Council (SRAC), founded in 1976, is to maximize access to the Arts for all Citizens in Northwest Louisiana, targeting underserved communities. SRAC develops, produces, presents, educates, and promotes all of the Arts Disciplines; thereby nurturing the artistic and creative well-being of citizens and visitors. SRAC serves as the officially designated Arts “Arm” of the City of Shreveport and State of Louisiana for the 10 parishes (counties) of Northwest Louisiana (NWLA).
SRAC celebrates a 45-year partnership with Caddo Parish Public Schools, serving as a major Arts in Education Provider with an emphasis on Interdisciplinary and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, ARTS & Math) Learning via professional Artists who correlate basic classroom instruction with hands-on Arts Activities.
Every two years, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council produces a Major Long-Term “Residency” with a nationally renowned professional Artist who engages several Caddo Parish Public Schools in the production of a new community Artwork. Major Residencies for Caddo Parish Public Schools have included the creation of large-scale (15’ – 20’) puppets with Wayne White, the production of “AS IS by NICK CAVE,” the design of the COMMONLINK Transportation Center with Joe McConnell, and recently “Rainbow City” with FriendsWithYou. The next major Residency experience to change the life – lights – of the City is with Tracey Dear – who will train students to design and program (code) the new “Bakowski Bridge of Lights.”
Background: Dynamic Neon light designed by renowned “Neon Pioneer” Rockne Krebs adorned the Texas Street Bridge for 22 years! Shreveport-Bossier basked in the glow hosting the Miss USA/Miss Teen USA pageants, bragging, “Our Runway is Paved in Neon.” The Bridge was featured in the international UPS calendar and Good Morning America! The Bridge was a development brand attracting Riverfront Casinos (each boasting the “Best Bridge View”), the Shreveport Convention Center/Hotel, and the Sci-Port Discovery Center - all built within five years of the 1993 Neon Bridge debut. The Neon glowed brightly until the monthly repair costs became untenable in 2016. When the lights went out…so did the Riverfront vivacity and the sense of Shreveport-Bossier unity. Many comment, “We lost our ‘enLIGHTenment’.”
LIGHT IT UP! The Cities of Shreveport and Bossier with SRAC are relighting the Bridge in LED Programmable Light. A major $1M private sector donor- Dr. George and Sandra Bakowski, along with major commitments from the Red River Waterway Commission, Louisiana Public Service Commission, and other private and public agencies are funding the $2.4M project, scheduled for completion on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2021. The Lighting Project is named the “BAKOWSKI BRIDGE OF LIGHTS.”
SRAC aims to equip artists, students, and community members to brand the Bakowski Bridge of Lights as the “Peoples’ Bridge!” “Our” bridge will have original lighted art shows that debut every month and keep the “new, fresh, dynamic” energy of LED Light glowing. A National Endowment for the Arts grant, matched by the City, the Community Foundation of North Louisiana, Citizens National Bank, and tuition fees through the Caddo Parish School Board, Bossier Parish Schools, and others as well as in-kind donations will support this 9-month academic residency.
The PROJECT:
SRAC is engaging Tracey Dear, lighting designer for Chicago’s 16 LED Bridges, the Wrigley Building, and LED creations in Millennium Park as the Residency Artist. Tracey will create and teach others to create lighted Bridge artworks designed of, by, and for the People.
Tracey will work with a team of 4 - 5 area Artists who will demonstrate some degree of skill in design/programming/coding. These selected Artists will:
1. Participate in a September Planning session for the Project.
2. Actively participate in the project from October 1, 2021 – May 30, 2022.
3. Invest approximately 440 “instructional” hours over the eight (8) month Residency.
4. Learn “tips, tricks, design concepts, and the operation of the Pharos Control System for programming the lights on the “Bakowski Bridge of Lights.”
5. Design one 15-minute Light Show for the “Bakowski Bridge of Lights” to debut between July and December 2022. Each artwork created through the Residency will debut at a “Red River Glo Fest” celebrating the Artists, engaging the community, attracting tourists, and inspiring new riverfront development.
6. Assist Tracey Dear by providing direct coaching/training for 500 selected students attending Title I Caddo Parish Public Schools, in grades 5 and 12, as well as Bossier Parish Students, students attending four area Universities, and residents of four area Social Service Organizations. The training centers on the design and programming (coding) of13,320 programmable LED Lights on the Texas Street – Bakowski Bridge of Lights. Students will learn to operate the Pharos Control System; and some of the students will become the City’s future – and sustained - Bridge Lighting Designers.
7. Lead a public engagement process during the ArtBreak Festival, May 9 – 15, 2022. This is a seven (7) day Festival with a culminating Sunday, May 15 “ArtBreak Light Show!” The Artists will work with students and families, allowing them to design a “smidge” of the Bridge, then with selected students, the Artists “Team” will program the “smidges” into a Light Show for the Bridge.
Commission: The selected artists will receive a flat fee of $15,000 for the eight (8) month residency that spans 440 Instructional Hours and the time invested in creating a 15 minute Light Show. Fees will be paid monthly, October – May.
SRAC's strategies during the 8-month educational portion of the residency include:
1. Judy Smithson will service as the “Curriculum Coach” for Tracey Dear and the selected Artists to ensure that all communicate in an “age appropriate” manner with the 5th grade students and that there are reasonable expectations for student (Elementary, High school, and College) achievement in the “coding / programming” and design of the Light Shows.
2. PHASE I: ORIENTATION: SRAC will engage 500 Targeted Students and Individuals for a three-month ORIENTATION to learn the principles of LED LIGHT DESIGN.
A. Groups include:
a. Caddo Parish Public Schools students:
i. One 5th grade class from each of the following Title I Schools (150 students):
· Keithville Elementary/Middle (South)
· Mooringsport Elementary (North)
· Northside Middle School (MLK neighborhood)
· Broadmoor Elementary/Middle
· Caddo Heights Elementary (East)
ii. One Talented Art Program Instructor with his/her Students
iii. One class from each of five Title I High Schools (150 students):
· Booker T. Washington (Central/Inter City)
· Huntington High School (South)
· Caddo Career & Technology Center
· Woodlawn High School (West)
· Green Oaks High School (MLK neighborhood)
iv. SRAC will work with Caddo Parish Public Schools to determine if and how other student constituencies such as those enrolled through the “Homeless” program and students enrolled through the “Department of Students with Exceptionalities” may participate in the Residency.
b. One Bossier Parish Public Elementary School and one High School – to be determined (60 students)
c. Four Universities/Colleges: (25 per University = 100 students)
i. Centenary College
ii. LSU-S University
iii. Bossier Parish Community College
iv. Southern University - Shreveport
d. Residents from area Social Service Organizations:
i. Providence House
ii. VOA Lighthouse
iii. Mercy Center
iv. VOA McAdoo Center
B. Logistics: Orientation
a. Each grade level (6 groups in a grade level) will come together for two days in October and November, and one day in December at SCI-PORT.
i. Tracey Dear will lead one of the days for each group during the month with the Artists’ Assistants.
ii. The selected Artists will lead the other day each month; this second educational day is scheduled the week after the Tracey Dear Visit.
iii. High School – University – Social Service days will be designated separately from 5th grade – it will take one week to serve all four target groups.
iv. Caddo Parish Public Schools will provide transportation for the classrooms to get to the day-long field trip; lunch is a consideration.
C. There will also be one optional “Super Saturday” each month, October and November to ascertain student interest and commitment to this project and to provide “one on one” coaching.
a. The “Super Saturdays” are scheduled at Sci-Port.
b. It may be necessary to provide transportation for some of the students to get to Sci-Port.
c. There are a total of 8 “Super Saturdays.”
D. These 300 selected students will have VIP “seating” at the Opening of the “Bakowski Bridge of Lights” on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2021 when the LED LIGHTS are officially turned ON!
3. PHASE 2:
A. In January, Tracey Dear and the Artists’ Team will review and identify Students who are considered “serious” design and programming students from the Orientation. These will become trained to the opportunity of becoming the “Certified” LED Design/Programming Team, capable of bringing community vision to “light.”
a. Caddo Schools: 25 Elementary, 5 Talented Art Program and 25 High School
b. Bossier Schools: 5 Elementary and 5 High School
c. 5 Universities: 25 (5 per University)
d. Social Service: 25 (5 per organization)
B. Selected Students will spend two consecutive days each month, January, February, March, and April working with Tracey Dear and the Artists on direct programming.
C. Selected students will spend two consecutive days each month January – April working with the designated Artist on direct programming.
D. This means that each Selected Student will spend four days each month, January, February, March and April working in the “LIGHT IT UP!” Residence.
E. These sessions will take place at Sci-Port. The goal is to place a 10’ Model of the Bridge at Sci-Port overlooking the actual Bridge so that students may see their programming manifest on the model, and, subsequently, as possible on the Bridge.
F. The “Super Saturdays” will continue in January, February, March and April.
G. It will be necessary to provide transportation for the students during the week at Sci-Port.
H. It may be necessary to provide transportation to the “Super Saturdays.”
I. Each group of students (5th Grade, Talented Art Program, High School, College, Social Service Organizations) will create a 15-minute light show for the Bridge.
J. These 110 “students” will each receive additional 64 hours of instruction.
4. PHASE 3.
A. In April, the Residency advances to Phase 3 with a “test” administered by Tracey Dear and Keith Hanson, the Chief Technology Officer for the City of Shreveport. The goal is to select the top 25 students who are capable and interested in continuing the work to program the “Bakowski Bridge of Lights.”
a. These finalists will receive paid commissions to program light shows on the Bridge and will ultimately become the “Train the Trainers” for future projects.
b. These finalists will have received 176 hours of instruction by the close of the ArtBreak Festival.
B. The Residency culminates at the May 2022 ArtBreak Festival (May 9-15) when 75,000 students/families each design a 15-second color pattern that the “Certified Team” of programmers’ code for the Bridge. The Finalists Team, Artists, and Tracey Dear will work Monday – Sunday to help “everyone” design a “smidge of the bridge;” followed by the programming of these designs.
a. Transportation will be required for these students to get to the Shreveport Convention Center during the week.
b. School Lunches will be necessary.
C. All 300 students participating in the Residency will be publicly recognized at the ArtBreak Festival Awards Ceremony, Sunday, May 15. The Final “25 Member Certified Team” will receive special recognition.
D. The ArtBreak finale on Sunday, May 15, brings everyone out to the rooftop of the Shreveport Convention Center Parking Garage to view the ArtBreak Light Show.
E. During the week of May 16 – 20, there will be an evaluation of the Project with Tracey Dear and the Artists/Students/Faculty.
5. Phase 4.
A. A new Light Show debuts monthly, May through Dec. 2022, at a “GLO Fest” with Live Performances, Arts Market, and an Artist celebration.
B. Each Month, during these “GLO Fests,” a different light show created by either the Selected Artists or the Student groups will be featured and each of the participating Students will be recognized and honored at the designated “Glo Fest.”
C. The first of the monthly “Glo Fests” will feature the original design by Tracey Dear. His LIGHT Show will coincide with his Exhibition at ARTSPACE – the downtown center for the creation and exhibition of Art.
6. Phase 5.
A. It is anticipated that a Club will be developed from/among the LED LIGHT SHOW programming enthusiasts. The Students and Artists will strategize ways to continue the training program through a series of Programming/Coding Saturdays.
B. It is anticipated that other professional Artists will want to use the “BRIDGE ROOM” at Sci-Port to test designs on the Bridge Sci-Port will be the center for testing new designs on the 10’ MODEL OF THE BRIDGE.
C. In Year Two, Sci-Port will lead the Educational Program to sustain the interest in coding/programming the Bridge.
PROJECT COST:
This is a $175,000 Residency Project with Artists’ Fees eight months, supplies, the fabrication of the model, the programming controller and more, serving 500 students. The National Endowment for the Arts, Community Foundation of North Louisiana, Citizens National Bank, and other funders. The Residency Expenses do not include the costs of the “GLO Fests!”
APPLICATION TIME LINE – REVISED:
Applications due: 12 MIDNIGHT, AUGUST 1
Finalists Interviews with Tracey Dear and SRAC Staff: Week of August 16 – 20
Announcement of Selected Artists: August 27
Orientation with Tracey Dear in person: September (date to be determined)
Teaching Begins: October
Teaching Months: October, November, January, February, March, April, May 9-15
First Light Show through the Residency “Debut” – Sunday, May 15
Light Shows “Debut” at Friday Night GLO FESTS June through December