Shop One Artist/Educator In Residence
Engaging and empowering water stewards
About the Residency
The Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (District) is a leader in water stewardship, returning water safely to the environment and recovering resources like nutrients to help crops grow and methane to generate power. The District embraces a vision of enriching life through clean water and resource recovery and our mission of protecting public health and the environment, and has done so for nearly 100 years by operating the Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The artist/educator in residency is the first in a series of Catalytic Projects to help tell the District’s story, remember history, connect with community and look to the future. The program is an opportunity to open the wastewater treatment plant beyond its fence and normal business hours, teach through interactions, provide hands-on opportunities and experiences, engage in conversations that challenge social norms and conventional thinking, as well as collaborate and test new approaches to convey the One Water message.
The Artist/Educator in Residence is a catalyst to engage and empower water stewards.
2023 Resident Artist
Charles Payne
Throughout 2023 Charles will be working with community based organizations to build water advocates through a water-advocacy curriculum, newsletters, storytelling events. Additionally, he will be consulting District staff to spotlight various wastewater careers, making the often invisible work of cleaning water more visible.
This residency will build off of the 2022 Resident Artist/Educator’s work to continue the conversation on OneWater.
2022 Resident Artist
nipinet landsem
Bringing multifaceted experience as both an artist and activist around water issues, nipinet kickstarted the Shop One Residency by engaging community through a series of events, conversations and social media. Personal water connections uncovered during the residency were captured and shared through illustrations, zines and social media posts.
Call for Community Panelists
Now seeking qualified community artists to provide consultation services as part of the catalytic projects artist selection processes. This paid, (10-20 hour) commitment is for experienced, community-based artists and cultural practitioners to help select and craft District-Arts partnerships such as for the Artist/Educator Residency Program. Learn more and find application materials here.
The 2022 residency was the first of a series of Catalytic Projects for the District and Shop One. Design of this residency was supported by the US Water Alliance Arts & Culture Accelerator program. Community members served as creative collaboration advisors to guide development of this residency and other catalytic projects.
