The concept: The Cortland Rural Cemetery (CRC) is a 44-acre, 160-year old, non-profit, and non-denominational rural cemetery located in the heart of Cortland, NY. Featuring all of the classic visual attributes of a ‘garden cemetery’ originating from the mid-19th century – e.g. asymmetric landscaping, rolling hills, stately trees, winding roads, and countless examples of art, typographic art, architecture, sculpture, and design represented on the many mausoleums, monuments, and literally thousands of markers scattered across the grounds -- the CRC is a largely unnoticed and yet extraordinarily rich resource for both artists and those who appreciate art and art history. To bring attention to this under-appreciated resource – and, in doing so, establish the CRC as important artistic resource for art practitioners and ‘art lovers’ alike -- we’re hosting our first-ever “Cemetery Art Show!” (The gallery opening will be September 5, 2014 from 5-8 pm — with works displayed for 30 days thereafter.)

How to participate: Now through August 15, 2014 — artists of all stripes are encouraged to visit and be inspired by the CRC. Whether the resulting work you generate is a painting, photograph, sculpture, musical composition, multi-media work, or some other art form — it will be eligible for inclusion in the Cemetery Art Show this Fall. Some rules-of-the-road do apply (please do see our website for those), but otherwise we’re excited to see what sort of work(s) Cortland’s art community comes up with! Works must be submitted to the CRC between August 15 and August 29th, to allow us time to place them in the gallery.

More about the gallery opening: In concert with the CCCC’s already popular “First Friday” program, the gallery opening for our Cemetery Art Show will be held on September 5th, from 5-8pm. All contributors and their guests will be invited to the gallery opening event (light refreshments served). And for 30 days thereafter, the art show will be open, and promoted, to the general public...including invites to area school groups, seniors, among others!

Anything else? Why, yes! In concert with the exhibition portion of the Cemetery Art Show, we’ll also be developing a self-guided “Cemetery Art Tour” that will put a spotlight on the many forms of “art” already in evidence in our cemetery (e.g. sculpture, carvings, architecture, etc.) The tour will take the form of a “map” that will be distributed at the Show — and, thereafter hosted on the CRC website for easy downloading! Content from the tour will also be included on permanent interpretive signs being developed for and erected on our ’cemetrails.’ Please do check these resources out when they are available...and, better yet, please help us promote them to your family, friends, and peers in the art community!