Artists needed to paint Geneva fire hydrants

After a successful inaugural venture last fall, the "Art on Fire" hydrant design program returns for a second year to spread Geneva's creative spirit even further throughout the community.

The city of Geneva, in collaboration with the cultural arts commission, is seeking artists to "adopt" and paint fire hydrants. Last year, 41 hydrants were painted as part of "Art on Fire," and the program was well received by residents and visitors who took notice of the artwork in the downtown and surrounding areas.

With more than 1,800 fire hydrants throughout Geneva, plenty of "blank canvas" remains for artists to submit new entries this spring.

"This year, we hope to fan the flames of creativity and engagement by reaching even more artists," said Mayor Kevin Burns, who initiated the "Art on Fire" last year to showcase Geneva's artistic talent and bring art into the community.

The program is free and open to the public, but participants need to submit an application to the city by Friday, May 2. The application can be found on the city's website at www.geneva.il.us or picked up at Geneva City Hall, 22 S. First St.

"Art on Fire" does not mandate a specific theme, but the program encourages artists to incorporate the character of the hydrant's surrounding environment into their design. City staff reviews and approves all application designs to make sure they do not compromise the visibility of the hydrants for firefighters in an emergency.

Artists will be allowed to paint their hydrants through the end of May.

The city's public arts advisory committee and cultural arts commission will again judge the hydrants and award prizes to the top three design winners.

People can take a virtual tour of all the 2013 decorated hydrants on an interactive map posted on the city's website. The map will be updated this summer to include all the 2014 submissions.