2025 News 2025: CVPA students partner with DATMA for public art project

"Being Seen" covered the front facade of New Bedford City Hall for Pride Month

UMass Dartmouth's College of Visual & Performing Arts (CVPA) once again partnered with DATMA (Massachusetts Design Art Technology Institute Inc.) for a large-scale public art project in downtown New Bedford titled Being Seen: Celebrating SouthCoast Pride—a textiles-inspired installation developed to honor the SouthCoast LGBTQIA+ Community.

Led by Being Seen Creative Director, Liz Collins, the community project included several UMassD undergraduate students, CVPA graduate students, and faculty. The collaborative project brought together vibrant design and visual storytelling to celebrate LGBTQIA+ identity and visibility that will travel to four municipalities over two years including New Bedford, Dartmouth, Marion, and Fall River.

"Collaborating with DATMA always brings a meaningful experience for both our students and faculty. Their commitment to showcasing socially engaged public art continues to create powerful opportunities for emerging artists across our region."

The work covered the entire front facade of New Bedford City Hall and was also displayed in Gallery X and the Steeple Playhouse. This fall, Being Seen is set to travel to UMass Dartmouth's main campus before being moved to the Marion Art Center, then conclude at a still-to-be-determined site in Fall River.

"This kind of work gives students a rare and impactful opportunity to engage with the community through public art as both makers and community collaborators," said Ann Kim, associate dean of CVPA. "They're not just learning how to design and install large-scale work—they're learning how to work with a wide range of stakeholders and organizations around the community while also learning the powerful impact of art and collaboration in public spaces."

CVPA's contributing faculty included Paula Becker, Rob Millard-Mendez, Lu Xu, Serra Fels, Ann Kim, Aleta Deyo, and Lara Henderson. The project also welcomed participation from over 150 people across the SouthCoast community, engaging UMass Dartmouth alumni, local schools, independent artists, and community organizations in a collective creative effort.

"Being Seen is about more than the final installation—it's about the conversations it sparked throughout the process," said Henderson. "Collaborating with DATMA always brings a meaningful experience for both our students and faculty. Their commitment to showcasing socially engaged public art continues to create powerful opportunities for emerging artists across our region."

CVPA students partner with DATMA for public art project

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