Watertown, MA The Plumbing Museum held a ribbon cutting and launch of the Manoog Family Artist in Residency Program, a new cultural initiative being offered to the town and Greater Boston communities. Designed to support careers in both the arts and trades, the program provides artists with the financial and physical resources needed to explore the relationship between art and industrial technology. 

Plumbing Museum - Watertown, MA

Named after the founding family of the Plumbing Museum, the Manoog Family Artist in Residency Program offers artists the opportunity to harness their passion and creativity to produce meaningful artwork, develop their skills and give back to the community, all within the space found at the Plumbing Museum and its partner organization, J.C. Cannistraro.

“The chance to spend three months in an exclusive studio surrounded by science, art and history is truly exciting to an artist,” said Sasha Parfenova, museum program coordinator. “By the end of each residency, our artists will develop lasting artwork for themselves, the museum and the community, while helping us fulfill our mission of building awareness for the plumbing industry.”

As part of the program, selected artists are provided with full access to studio workspace, fabrication and welding resources, materials and a cash award.

Beginning this week, the program welcomes its first resident artist, Ryan Leitner, a recent graduate of Tufts University – School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The fall residency will conclude with an exhibition in the Plumbing Museum in January 2017. Applications for future residencies can be submitted via the Plumbing Museum website.

About the Plumbing Museum:

Located in a renovated ice house in Watertown, MA, the American Sanitary Plumbing Museum is dedicated to promoting the contributions of the plumbing industry and its talented craftsmen across the United States. Through its unique mix of industrial history and modern art, it showcases artifacts and exhibits that range from 19th century tubs to modern toilets and a functioning rainwater reclamation system. The museum welcomes nearly a thousand visitors each year for tours and private events, and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal. For more information, visit: www.theplumbingmuseum.org.