Metro Arts: Nashville Office of Arts & Culture has commissioned artist Matthew Mazzotta to conduct a neighborhood residency in the Madison community. 

The residency will begin with a series of community engagement events called Outdoor Living Rooms. The living rooms serve as a temporary meeting space where neighbors can comfortably gather to share insights and stories about their community with the artist. Afterward, Mazzotta uses the community feedback he collects to influence and inform the design of the future public artwork. 

Anyone who lives or works in the 37115 (new & old) are invited to stop by one or both events. Participants are encouraged to bring photos or other Madison-related memorabilia to show and share with the artist.

From a vacant, hollow storefront facade to a community theater and gathering spot. Matthew Mazzotta's project in Lyons, Nebraska, focused on reconnecting a community around its once-bustling Main Street. 
Madison residents: meet Matthew this weekend and share your vision for public art in your community. Matthew will take feedback from these Outdoor Living Rooms to inform a future public artwork for Madison! 

OPEN HOUSE is a transforming theater in York, Alabama

Artist Matthew Mazzotta, the Coleman Center for the Arts, and the people of York Alabama have teamed up to work together and transform a blighted property in York's downtown into a new public art project this is in the shape of a house, but can physically transform into a 100 seat open air theater, free for the public.

Through open conversations, hard work and planning we have developed a project that uses the materials from an abandoned house as well as the land it sits on to build a new smaller house on the footprint of the old house. However this new house has a secret, it physically transforms from the shape of a house into an open air theater that seats 100 people by having its walls and roof fold down. We call our project 'Open House'.

Open House lives mostly in the form of a house between the grocery store and the post office, reminding people what was there before, but it opens up when the community wants to enjoy shows, plays, movies, and any other event people can think of that supports community life here in York. When the theater is folded back up into the shape of a house the property is a public park for anyone to enjoy.

Paid for by Nancy VanReece 4 Metro Council

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