Commission hears plans for interactive 'boxes' at Brookhaven International Festival

Marcela Cortez outlined plans for three immersive artist installations to be featured at the Brookhaven International Festival, which staff said will run each day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. "I am really excited about that," Cortez said as she described delivery timelines, volunteer staffing and accessibility measures for the installations.

Cortez told the commission the boxes are constructed and that artists are finishing interior work; contractors will bring completed pieces to a staging site (Linwood) for final assembly and then transport them to the festival site. She said staff has asked artists to have installations ready by the Wednesday before the festival so crew can position and test equipment; generators will supply power, and organizers will provide volunteer custodians to reduce the risk of theft or damage.

Commissioners questioned several practical details. One member asked whether live sound in adjacent boxes would bleed from one installation to the next and whether headphones or channel-sharing technology could reduce cacophony for visitors with sensory sensitivities. Cortez said artists will supply their own speakers and that staff would provide power and consider headphones if feasible, but noted the timing and technical requirements make some options difficult on short notice.

Accessibility and signage were recurring concerns. Cortez said contractors are building small ramps to make boxes wheelchair accessible and that volunteers will be assigned to each installation. A commissioner cautioned that clear signage is needed so visitors understand the objects are art installations and what interaction is allowed; another urged protective lids or coverings to preserve loose items overnight.

Cortez said staff plans to locate the boxes near the stage and the artist market entrance, close to the Greenway, to maximize visitor exposure. She also described outreach and marketing efforts that include postcards mailed along the Beaufort Highway corridor and local media outreach. "We're trying to make this grow every year," Cortez said, adding she hopes the installations become a traveling and renewing collection.

The commission did not take a formal vote on the boxes at the meeting; staff and the artists will proceed with setup planning and confirm final logistics and custodianship in the days before the festival.