The Abandoned Art Project - Minerva, Ohio
The Abandoned Art Project seeks to connect Minerva residents and visitors to local artists and artwork. By doing this our goal is to increase awareness and appreciation for the arts in Minerva, Ohio.
How does it work?
Local artists leave pieces of original artwork hidden throughout the Village with a card explaining the Abandoned Art Project. Residents and visitors who find the abandoned art can choose to either keep the art piece or leave it for another to find. Finders of the abandoned art are encouraged to post their newly found art in it's new home on The Abandoned Art Project - Minerva, Ohio Facebook Group.
What is Abandoned Art?
Abandoned art is an original piece of art that is left by the artists for others to find and keep. Types of artworks you may find include:
Who is an artist?
Anyone who makes art is an artist! It does not matter what you skill level is, how long you've been doing art, or if you've never earned a penny from your art endeavors. If you can make something that brings joy to others, you are an artists!
I'm an artist and I want to participate. What do I do?
First, I want to thank you for joining us! Be sure to join the Facebook Group so you can learn more about the project and see what others have done.
Second, you'll need to choose what piece(s) you wish to contribute to the project. When choosing your pieces you may wish to consider where you plan to abandon your art, the time of year, if this is a piece you believe other would want to keep, and if you can keep the abandoned art protected from the elements until found.
Once you've chosen your abandoned art, print the following:
Or follow this link to get the whole page via Google Drive.
On the explanation card we encourage you to put your name or a hashtag using your name so that your abandoned art can be easily searchable in the Facebook Group. #MinervaCreativeCompany or #AshleyAnnZahn are examples.
So you've chosen your abandoned art, attached the tag, and protected your piece from Mother Nature. What's next?
Be sure to take a picture with you and your soon-to-be abandoned art. This may be important to prove that it was made by you later on if your abandoned art turns up on a resale platform.
You need to choose where you want to abandon your piece and abandon it! Keep an eye on the Facebook Group to see if a Finder posts the abandoned art in its new home!
I want to find Abandoned Art. What do I do?
Take a look around town! Abandoned art could be anywhere! You might find it on a walk through Bicentennial Park, along Market Street, or in a business that has given permission for artists to abandon art on their premises.
Many artists will wait until good weather is predicted for several days before abandoning art, so check the weather to get a sense of how fruitful your pursuit may be.
Always keep an eye out, because you never know when you may find Abandoned Art!
The following rules for abandoning and finding art MUST BE OBSERVED!
- Artists may only abandon art in areas accessible to the public. Do not abandon art on private property. This includes homes, lawns, vehicles, or other areas where privacy is inherently expected.
- Artist may only abandon art at business locations that give their expressed permission.
- Artists must not not abandon art in places that are dangerous to reach to protect yourself and the art finder. Examples include high ledges, under bridges that flood, or places that create traffic hazards.
- Artists must not abandon potentially dangerous art pieces. Do not abandon weapons or sharp objects.
- Artists must not abandon art that may cause damage to the surrounding area or create an environmental hazard.
- Once an artists abandons a piece they give up all rights to the piece.
- Artists are not permitted to seek payment for abandoned art pieces at are found. The abandoned art belong to the Finder.
- Finders are not permitted to resale abandoned art pieces. Any abandoned pieces that are found online for resale will be reported. Remember, artists will stop contributing to the project if they believe their original art is being using to unjustly enrich others at the artist's expense. The exception to this rule is if the sale is part of a garage or yard sale, or part of an estate sale of a deceased finder.
- Abandoned art must be easily movable. Artwork that is too heavy for one person to carry away is not permitted. Artwork that is applied to public or private property that cannot be removed without extensive work is also not permitted.
- Abandon your art pieces within Minerva Village city limits. This creates a defined area for finding abandoned pieces and increases the likelihood of your piece being found.
- Be sure to select artwork that can either withstand the elements, or can be protected by the elements either in its placement or by wrapping the piece in a protective barrier such as a ziplocked type bag. Please make efforts to keep your weatherproofing environmentally friendly. We want to fill Minerva with artwork, not trash!
- If you find abandoned artwork that you've chosen to leave for other finders, you may post it's location on the Facebook Group with a vague description of the abandoned artwork. We encourage you to do this if you believe the abandoned art may be difficult for others to locate or if you assess that the elements may damage the abandoned art shortly.
- Artists are encouraged to sign and date their artwork before abandoning so that others will know who to credit the work to.
What if my abandoned art is not posted in the group?
Knowing that your abandoned artwork has found a home with someone who loves your artwork is always the goal. However, there are many reasons why this doesn't happen.
- Your abandoned art has not been found yet
- Your abandoned art was found damaged due to unforeseen circumstances
- Your abandoned art was found, but the finder is neither tech savvy, on Facebook, or is a private person.
Remember, even if you don't see it get posted your abandoned art is most likely out there inspiring your community!