There’s a new sculpture on Main Street in Burlington: a colorful, 11-foot-tall arch at the edge of City Hall Park. Its see-through panels contain hundreds of preserved flowers, suspended in resin mid-bloom. Its name, “Anthology,” comes from the Greek word that means “a collection of flowers.”
Sculptor Lydia Kern collected those flowers from Burlington residents. According to her artist’s statement, the community-centered work is meant to evoke “the persistence of beauty and the certainty of change.” It’s also lovely to look at, especially on a sunny day.
This installation, unveiled last month, is one of six new permanent sculptures coming to city streets by the end of 2026, courtesy of Burlington City Arts. Established during Sen. Bernie Sanders’ tenure as mayor, BCA has been supporting local artists and expanding access to arts-based education and experiences for more than 40 years.
A unique public/private partnership within city government, BCA relies on both donations and city funds. But as Burlington faces mounting budget pressures, BCA is feeling the squeeze. If you value BCA’s programs, now is the time to step up and support them.
In addition to commissioning public art, BCA contributes to the cultural life of the community in numerous ways, continuing to expand access to affordable art spaces throughout the city. Most recently, it opened a new Community Room at BCA Studios, which has already hosted a range of rental events, including holiday parties, conferences and even roller discos. And later this month, on New Year’s Eve, BCA will stage its annual Highlight festival, which includes 12 hours of concerts, dance parties, circus acts and a Moth StorySLAM, along with fireworks and the burning of a handcrafted wooden sculpture of Champ, the mythical lake monster.
Want more examples? Consider Kern’s artistic career. The budding sculptor connected with BCA after moving to Burlington to attend the University of Vermont. “I saw one of my first pieces of assemblage sculpture at the BCA Center in 2013,” she recalled in a phone interview. It helped that the gallery is free and located on Church Street.
Through the years, Kern grew her artistic practice through BCA programs, teaching a workshop during BCA’s Festival of Fools; receiving support from a BCA Community Fund grant to curate exhibits of artwork made by clients of Homebase, an organization that serves adults with developmental disabilities; and being selected for the Diane Gabriel Visual Artist Award, a prize that includes a $1,000 credit toward BCA classes.
Kern used the credit to explore new mediums, taking classes in clay and photography at BCA Studios on Pine Street. That led her to incorporate photonegatives in some pieces currently on display in her solo show at Saint Michael’s College; Seven Days ran a glowing review in last week’s issue. “I wouldn’t have done that without BCA classes,” she said, adding that all these offerings serve the general public, not just artists.
Kern won the commission for “Anthology” following a public comment period during which community members voiced support for her project. She found it meaningful that people wrote in to encourage her vision. In the press release announcing the unveiling, she said, “It is a true joy and honor to give a work that belongs to all of us, to a place I love.”
In that same release, BCA executive director Doreen Kraft noted that the sculpture exemplifies the power of the city’s public art program. “When we create these opportunities for artists to dream big, we bring the unique story of our city to life all around us,” she said. “Lydia Kern’s ‘Anthology’ is a powerful monument to the endurance and vibrancy of Burlington’s creative community.”
“I believe in BCA because art changes everything.”
Michael Jager
While highly visible public art testifies to BCA’s contribution, smaller moments matter, too. Michael Jager, cofounder of the Burlington-based design firm Solidarity of Unbridled Labour, sees value in all the classes, performances and exhibits BCA brings to Burlington. They “create conversations that maybe normally wouldn’t happen,” he said in a recent video interview with BCA staff.
As an entrepreneur, he’s seen how BCA programs can create connections “that inevitably affect your ability to find other talented people, or to find a partner or client that you might work with,” he said. Over the years, his clients have included brands such as Burton, Xbox, Nike, Lululemon and Patagonia.
But most importantly, Jager said, “I believe in BCA because art changes everything. At least from my humble experience, art is the thing that actually shapes ideas. It makes people feel things that they couldn’t find and feel on their own.”
That’s why he’s encouraging others to support BCA. “Whether it’s a mural project or the sculptural pieces that are in and around the community and continuing to emerge, [BCA] creates a presence of creativity and just human expression that we have to really fight for and protect,” he said.
BCA director Kraft put a brighter spin on that appeal in a recent fundraising letter: “Your support ensures that creativity continues to light up our town, connect our neighbors, and remind us what’s possible when a city believes in the arts.”
Visit the gallery, register for a class or camp, or celebrate at Highlight.
When you participate in a BCA program, you not only support the organization, you affirm your belief in the arts and in the vibrancy of our city.
