Application Information - Black Box Fund

A Summer Series presented by

Application Information
When applying for Out of the Box, please be aware the information and answers that you provide to any and all
questions in your application will be used by Black Box Fund staff for purposes of contacting, record keeping, and
rule assessment. Please list current and accurate information. Also, please make sure to completely read all rules and
requirements set forth by Black Box Fund to assure compliance. If you have any questions or need any further clarifica-
tion, please feel free to contact Black Box Fund at events@blackboxfund.org.
Successful applicants must complete the attached Application by providing the following information as requested.
Performers may gently use the giant Cracking Art swallows during their activities but must NOT perform on or
encourage any behavior that would compromise the safety of the swallows or the public.
Eligibility:
-Individual artists or organizations must be based in Milwaukee
Funds may not be used for:
  -Any expenses other than the execution of proposed program
  -Re-granting to other individuals or organizations
  -Lobbying. IRS-defined lobbying activities are prohibited by federal law
Performance / On-site Activity dates:
  June 20 – August 1, 2021
  See programing on page three
Location:
  Lakeshore State Park
  State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
  500 North Harbor Drive
  Milwaukee, WI 53202
Site restrictions:
   - Lakeshore State Park is owned and managed by the State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
   - the DNR currently allows 50 participants in one program per day
   - access to the park is from the south entrance; any vehicle access must be approved of by the DNR manager
   - to stay current with DNR guidelines please consult https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/covid-19
   - please check back regularly for updates or follow @WIDNR on Facebook, @wi_dnr on Instagram, or @WDNR on Twitter.
Black Box Fund Out of the Box RFP timeline:
    Release of RFP: March 18, 2021
    Applications due: April 16, 2021, 5:00 pm central
    Notification for acceptance: April 23, 2021
*Note: The DNR will review each BBF-chosen proposal and provide additional guidance / questions regarding safety / viability of pro-
grams according to DNR-approved land use during covid.
  Date for signed contract between BBF and artist/organization: May 21, 2021
  Site visit with BBF team: to be determined
  Send applications to: events@blackboxfund.org - Subject: BBF Out of the Box series

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Lakeshore State Park map, orange section for primary Cracking Art installation / signage area:

                                                                         Cracking Art installation REbirth, 2021
                                                                         regenerated plastic, metal
                                                                         63 x 49 x 116 inches / 5 ¼ x 4 ¼ x 9 ¾ feet each
                                                                         Courtesy Cracking Art

Cracking Art is an artistic movement dedicated to using art to highlight social and environmental issues. Cracking Art
was founded in 1993 and focuses on the adverse impact of single-use plastic in our lives, and the importance of a more
sympathetic relationship between humans and nature. The name Cracking Art refers to the English verb “to crack”, or
the state of being “split, broken, cracked, or crashed”. Catalytic cracking is also the term for the chemical reaction that
occurs when converting crude oil into plastic, the moment when the natural becomes artificial.

Cracking Art states that the “…choice of recyclable plastic for its aesthetic appeal shows acceptance of the inevitability
of our world becoming increasingly artificial. The artworks are designed to inspire a community-wide conversation
about the importance and the environmental impact of recycling while leaving a potent artistic trace in the communi-
ties we live in.”

The meaning of the swallow: “The swallow sculpture was born during the spring in 2014 and the idea came from the
need to create a new Cracking Art animal that could be a symbol of Regeneration which is the main inspiring concept
of the movement. The swallow, in fact, is always associated with the awakening of nature and the ideas of rebirth and
new life. The swallow stands also for journey and freedom and, building nests on residential roofs, it suggests the idea
of cohabitation with humans…. From this point of view it was significant the Cracking Art choice of representing the
animal standing up on the ground instead of flying in order to establish a spontaneous and playful relationship with
humans. The swallow is also a migratory bird bringing popular beliefs and different cultural traditions and so it is also a
symbol of dialogue and sharing ideas.”
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Performance / On-site Activity Dates
Black Box Fund believes in people and art and nature thriving together. We are a nonprofit working to activate commu-
nity spaces. Founded in 2019 with the belief that art can be a positive unifying force to connect community, our mission
is to support public art, music and performance that inspires, educates and enhances the well-being of our Milwaukee
communities.

This summer we are connecting with local nonprofits to bring this near-daily dose of creative inspiration highlighting
global and national days of awareness.

Sunday, June 20, 2021- 9 AM to Noon • National Hike with a Geek Day • Geekadventures.org
Mendel Kurland founded Hiking with Geeks in 2016 to give geeks (and friends with geeks) an opportunity to experi-
ence the outdoors and the fresh air “where journeys, human interactions, and exploration take place outside the virtual
world”. The Registrar at National Day Calendar declared National Hike with a Geek Day to be observed annually in 2017.

Monday, June 21, 2021 - 5 to 9 PM • World Music Day • www.makemusicday.org
World Music Day or Fête de la Musique is an annual celebration that takes place on June 21 to honor amateur and pro-
fessional musicians alike. Over 120 countries celebration World Music Day by organizing free public concerts in parks,
streets, stations, museums and other such public places. On this day musicians are encouraged to play in public. World
Music Day was founded by France’s Minister of Culture, Jack Lang and also Maurice Fleuret, a French composer, music
journalist, radio producer, arts administrator, and festival organizer, on the day of the summer solstice in Paris in 1982.

Friday, June 25, 2021 - 5 to 9 PM • African-American Music Appreciation Month
AAMAM is an annual celebration of African-American music in the United States. It was initiated as Black Music Month
by President Jimmy Carter who, on June 7, 1979, decreed that June would be the month of black music. In 2009, the
commemoration was given its current name by President Barack Obama. In his 2016 proclamation, Obama noted that
African-American music and musicians have helped the country “to dance, to express our faith through song, to march
against injustice, and to defend our country’s enduring promise of freedom and opportunity for all. “

Sunday, June 27, 2021 - 11 AM to 2 PM • National PTSD Awareness Day
In order to bring greater awareness to the issue of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in 2010, the United States Sen-
ate designated June 27 as National PTSD Awareness Day following then-Sen. Kent Conrad’s efforts to designate a day of
awareness as a tribute to Army Staff Sgt. Joe Biel of the North Dakota National Guard. Biel, who suffered from PTSD, took
his life in April 2007, after returning to North Dakota following his second tour of duty in the Iraq War. In addition, June
has been designated as PTSD Awareness Month by the National Center for PTSD.

Tuesday, June 29, 2021 - 5 to 9 PM • Social Media Day
On June 30, 2010, Mashable launched Social Media Day as a way to recognize and celebrate social media’s impact on
global communication. Today, social media is the heart of global communication; and since its inception, Mashable’s
been using social media to connect between cultures, movements and super-fandom.

Saturday, July 3, 2021 - 11 AM to 2 PM • International Plastic Bag Free Day
https://zerowasteeurope.eu/products/plastic-bag-free-day/
Zero Waste Europe established International Plastic Bag Free Day in 2009. In recent years, the day has become part of
the Break Free From Plastic movement. This campaign brings together an international movement of plastic pollution
fighters. As of 2020, the movement has grown to over 2,400 organizations.

Monday, July 5, 2021 - 2 to 5 PM• BBF’s Water Day
Today we celebrate and raise awareness about water. As John Gurda says, “The success and survival of Milwaukee lies in
the rivers that meander through its streets and the great lake at its shore. The area’s earliest inhabitants recognized the
value of an abundant, clean water supply for food and transportation. Settlers, shipbuilders, and city leaders used the
same waters to travel greater distances, power million-dollar industries, and even have a bit of fun. “

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Wednesday, July 7, 2021 - 5 to 8 PM • World Chocolate Day
It’s unclear who came up with this yummy food day. However, the day is celebrated on July 7th because it was on this
date in 1550 that chocolate was first brought to Europe. The first World Chocolate Day was celebrated in 2009.

Saturday, July 10, 2021 - 9 AM to Noon • National Kitten Day • https://www.kittenday.com
National Kitten Day, also known as World Kitten Day, is the official worldwide holiday, celebrated July 10th annually - to cel-
ebrate the magic of kittens and encourage adoption worldwide. Founded by Pet & Family Lifestyle Expert, Colleen Paige.

Monday, July 12, 2021 - 5 to 8 PM • Malala Day
Every year on July 12th, the world celebrates the birthday of Malala Yousafzai. At age 17, Malala was the youngest recip-
ient ever of the Nobel Peace Prize. The day also honors the rights of children and women. It’s not only her birthday, but
it’s also this date in 2013 that she spoke at the UN to call for worldwide access to education. Since that day, the UN has
dubbed July 12th, Malala Day. During her UN address, she stated, “Malala Day is not my day. Today is the day of every
woman, every boy, and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights.”

Wednesday, July 14, 2021 - 6 to 9 PM • International Non-Binary People Day & LGBTQ Pride Month
International Non-Binary People’s Day is observed each year on 14 July and is aimed at raising awareness and organizing
around the issues faced by non-binary people around the world. The day was first celebrated in 2012. The date was
chosen for being precisely between International Men’s Day and International Women’s Day.

LGBTQ Pride Month. LGBT Pride Month occurs in the United States to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred
at the end of June 1969. As a result, many pride events are held during this month to recognize the impact LGBT people
have had in the world.

Thursday, July 15, 202 - 5 to 8 PM • World Youth Skills Day
https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-youth-skills-day
Designated by the UN General assembly in 2014, the World Youth Skills Day is an opportunity for young people, techni-
cal and vocational education and training institutions and public and private sector stakeholders to acknowledge and
celebrate the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.

Sunday, July 18, 2021 - 8 to 11 AM • BBF’s Bird Day
Come celebrate all things bird. Learn how to identify birds, feed birds, create bird habitat with bird walks, workshops,
talks about different bird species and conservation projects and educational activities for all ages.

Tuesday, July 20, 2021 - 5 to 8 PM • World Nature Conservation Day
WNCD is observed all over the world on July 28 of every year to create awareness about protecting and conserving natural
resources. The Earth is supplied a limited amount of properties that we all rely upon each day like water, air, soil and trees.

Sunday, July 25, 2021 - 10 AM to 1 PM • National Disability Independence Day
National Disability Independence Day is celebrated on July 26th to honor the anniversary of when the ADA act was
signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush.

Friday, July 30, 2021 - 5 to 9 PM • International Day of Friendship
https://www.un.org/en/observances/friendship-day
The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship
between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.
The resolution places emphasis on involving young people, as future leaders, in community activities that include dif-
ferent cultures and promote international understanding and respect for diversity.

Sunday, August 1, 2021 - 10 AM to 1 PM • National Mutt Day
http://nationalmuttday.com/ National Mutt Day, also known as National Mixed Breed Dog Day, was created in 2005 by
Colleen Paige and is celebrated on both July 31st and December 2nd. National Mutt Day is all about embracing, saving
and celebrating mixed breed dogs.
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