Our Programs
New Art Archaeology
Thanks to the generous support of our audience, the Mass Cultural Council (Acton-Boxborough, Ayer, Billerica, Chelmsford, Concord, Groton, Littleton, Maynard, and Westford), Jane Gordon, Mark and Pat Smith, Enterprise Bank, and the Oasis Foundation (NYC).
Our annual Sculpture Symposium continues the spirit of “New Art Archeology”—creating 21st-century figurative sculptures using granite blocks from the Quarry. For three weeks each August (from the first to the fourth Sunday), our grounds become a vibrant art lab for 3D and interdisciplinary work.
Sculptors from diverse backgrounds transform stone into lasting works of art, fostering dialogue and innovation. Visitors are welcome to witness the creative process firsthand. Completed sculptures remain on-site as permanent landmarks for future generations.
"Container Man" Music Stage
CONTAINER MAN Music Stage is a multi-disciplinary musical program built on a 40-foot-long shipping container, consisting of 14 mechanical kinetic musical instruments, and is equipped with sound system and multi-media projection capabilities. It is a permanent performance stage for musicians, composers and visual artists to create new music, multidisciplinary concerts.
Art Education
We specialize in 3D art forms particularly stone carving and kinetic metal sculpture. We also offer a wide range of art media, including painting, installation and performance art. We understand art is a highly individualized activity, therefore, our teachers would designed the course detail (structure and class time) together with students. All classes are designed to develop your artistic ability by teaching you about the elements and principles of the targeted media through hands-on art creation and evaluation of artwork. You will use a variety of art materials, processes, mediums, and techniques for creating, discussing and exhibiting art works. In addition, your skill level and definition of art will be challenged, validated, and expanded through your own self-exploration, teacher’s coaching and mastery of different art media and techniques.
Students are required to sign the CAI Waiver and carry personal health insurance.
Class Site: CAI Art Grounds (68 Quarry Road, Acton, MA 01720)
Teachers: Yin Peet, Viktor Lois and guest artists (you may request a particular artist showing on CAI grounds as your teacher)
Student Age: 14 and up (for students with ability to handle electrical tools, we will teach stone carving)
Class period/time: all year round, specific class time will be co-designed by student and teacher
Tuition: $3,700 (for 60 contact hours over 6-month period or intensively over one month period, plus one exhibition)
To Register:
Make check payable to CAI and mail to 68 Quarry Road, Acton, MA 01720
The Facility
In general, on an ongoing basis, we offers art education through college-credited courses as well as workshops; the former provides an off-campus learning experience for students enrolled in colleges or high schools and students who wish to build a portfolio to apply for advanced art study in their college and graduate school applications; the latter is open to general public of diverse background and capability. Our facility is especially favorable for 3D sculpture, multi-disciplinary visual arts and music. Students work in direct contact with professionals and receive much individual attention. We strive to establish this grounds to serve regional colleges and universities as their off-campus teaching facilities. CAI is a cooperating institution of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
Our classroom is unconventional. There is an indoor classroom as well as several acres of outdoor teaching grounds. Our capabilities are enhanced by an inspiring sculptural park and heavy industrial machines for large scale work.
Artist In Residency
CAI ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM is designed to encourage and assist artists to realize new projects and ideas. It is open to artists who want to experience living & working in a New England art ground. We anticipate artists inspired by this beautiful environment, intensely creating their artwork and conducting intellectual dialogue with other fellow artists. For artists who takes on 3 months or longer residency will be given a solo show in CAI Gallery. Our facility is open all year round; the period of artist residency typically varies from one month to seven months.
Our Ground is a 10-acre former granite quarry surrounded by nearly 100 acres of beautifully maintained trailed Town forest and Recreation Park with weekly outdoor concerts and culture program. CAI facility includes a 7,000 Sq feet multi-purpose building with 2 galleries, 1 classroom/workshop, 1 sculpture-music performance hall, in which artists have their own private room, wireless internet, shared office/kitchen/living room and 10 acres of outdoor sculpture park and working space. Our facility is equipped with industrial power and machinery to provide resources for artists to produce large-scale artwork. Our 1.5-acre pond offers beautiful scenery, inspiring artistic meeting places and recreational possibilities. CAI is located in Acton, 25 miles from the City of Boston with frequent train service, and is four hours by car from New York City.
Application Procedure
Email the following to: contemporaryartsinternational@gmail.com
BIOGRAPHY (brief, maximum 2 pages)
WORK SAMPLES: visual artists 3 digital photos; time-based artists a 3-minute video
Applications are reviewed year round.
Travel and Transportation
There is frequent train service from Acton to and fro Boston. By car, Boston is 40 minutes away, the pick up and deliver fee from Boston bus station is $10, from Logan Airport is $60. Free pick up and delivery when artists arrive in the beginning and leaving at the end of the residency.
Residency fees are $1,800/month for the following services:
HOUSING: private bedroom, wireless Internet, shared bathroom, office, living room, kitchen, laundry facility
FOOD: artist self-manage (CAI provides kitchen)
STUDIO: shared
FACILITIES: choice of outdoor working locations, heavy equipment with operator available when needed
MATERIALS: some materials such as granite, wood, and recycled metals are available to resident artists for free
EXHIBITION: will be held whenever possible (a solo show can be arranged)
TRANSPORTATION: free pick up and deliver to/fro Boston Logan Airport at the time of arrival/departure. If Artists wish to travel other times, the pick up and deliver fee from Boston bus station is $10, from Logan Airport is $60
For Artists (and/or Artists’ friend&family) who travel through and wish to stay short term, the fee is $50/per day, per person (food not included)
Resident Artist’s Responsibilities
Travel expenses (local and international) including air ticket
Provide own medical Insurance
Sign a liability waiver form
Provide own food and all consumables (living and art) expenses
Keep self living space clean and restore working spaces to their original condition at the end of residency
Comply with CAI’s rules and share the grounds and facilities with CAI’s scheduled events
Created in Taiwan by CAI co-founders Viktor Lois and Yin Peet. Â In 2003, Container Man toured seven cities in Taiwan and subsequently toured Central and Eastern Europe in 2005, performing in 6 venues in Croatia, Serbia, Hungary and Poland.
Facility Sharing for Artists
Facility Sharing for Artists program is for artists who need a proper space to implement their projects. Our Facility includes a multi-purpose 50x100x20H building, outdoor sculpting courtyard, and equipment (some for rent). We welcome people of all artistic abilities to share our resources. It is on first-come first-serve basis. To help the facility sustain itself, the Organization requests that artists pay a user’s fee.
Our primary sculpting area is outdoors; for special projects that requires an indoor situation, we will accommodate according to its availability and suitability.
The Sharing Conditions & Terms:
1) Facility user must sign a contract with CAI and comply to the Studio Rules.
2) Wide range of materials may be used by artists; however, we prohibit the use of hazardous material on the Quarry ground.
3) Artists need to roughly clean up at the end of every working day and restore their work site to its original look at the end of the proposed project.
4) Fees:
Daily $100/per day
Weekly (7 days) $400/per week
Monthly (30 days) $1,100/per month
5) Artists need to bring their own hand tools, our facility will provide, electricity, water. For welder, and bobcat lifting or machinery work, it is $30/per time rental, for detail, please consult with Director of the Studio.
7) Facility Sharing is one of the five programs CAI runs, artists should expect sharing this greater environment with the activities scheduled in the Quarry Studio and Ground.
