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Now Honoring...Candice Lopez
Setting the BENCHMARK
Custom-Designed Benches Benefit College Scholarships, Teens, and Arts
San Diego, CA - During January 2003 Super Bowl month, Project BENCHMARK
will fill the city sidewalks, public parks, community squares, the
airport, trolley and train stations, and businesses of San Diego with
hundreds of artfully designed benches.
Like other well-known public art projects across the country, "Cows and
Couches" in Chicago and "Pigs" in Seattle, these benches, custom-created
by professional artists, designers, architects, sculptors and
woodcraftsmen, will help fund student scholarships, at-risk teens and
children's art programs.
"Project BENCHMARK is unique to San Diego," said Candice Lopez,
Director of the Benchmark Project and Professor of Graphic Design at City
College. "Designed to be fanciful and functional, visitors and residents
will enjoy these new places to 'artfully' sit and enjoy our city."
BENCHMARK, modeled after the successful Zurich, Switzerland project, is
drawing the interest of local, state, national and international media.
Millions of Super Bowl viewers and thousands of visitors will enjoy the
creations as San Diego is highlighted as the 2003 Super Bowl City.
A downtown press event unveiling the benches is planned for Thursday,
October 24 at 10 a.m., outside the NBC Building at 225 Broadway.
"We're delighted to support this collaboration of public and private
organizations coming together through art to celebrate San Diego," said
Peter Hall, Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) President. "These
colorful 'benchmarks' will reflect San Diego's history, culture, character
and charm."
Businesses, community organizations and individuals can sponsor a bench
for themselves or donate to a public space of choice (a school, a
hospital, an organization, a community) by making a $500 tax-deductible
donation. Sponsors can then keep their benches or donate them for an
auction on February 6 at the AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts)
Design Center.
More specifically, sponsorships will benefit the San Diego City College
Foundation's student scholarship fund. After the month-long outdoor
installation, each sponsor can keep their bench or further extend their
community spirit by donating the art for special auction. The auction
proceeds will benefit at-risk teens through the LINK program, children's
art workshops, a downtown Design Center and college scholarships through
San Diego City College Performing Arts and Graphic Design.
"City College is pleased to so strongly support this very special civic
and charitable BENCHMARK project," said City College President Terrence
Burgess.
Sponsored by the San Diego City College Foundation, BENCHMARK is supported
by CCDC, the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, Downtown
Partnership, Uptown Partnership, San Diego Community College District,
City Arts Foundation, Little Italy Association, Gaslamp Quarter
Association, East Village Association, Hillcrest Business Association,
Coronado Public Arts, American Institute of Graphic Artist, MTDB and many
more.
Additionally, "Gold Sponsors" Bennett Peji Design, Communication Arts
Magazine,
Trilogy Real Estate Management Inc., and San Diego City College Graphic
Design are helping to underwrite the production of the benches.
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Student
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