Woodstock Receives Grant To Relocate Downtown Mural

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The city of Woodstock is one of four communities across the region that has received help from the Atlanta Regional Commission to relocate a mural on a downtown building.

The ARC this week announced it’s provided funding and assistance to four communities as part of the 2015 Atlanta Regional Public Art Program, which helps local entities “realize their respective visions for public art.”

The Woodstock Downtown Development Authority, its Convention and Visitors Bureau and Preservation Woodstock are all joining forces to recreate the mural on Wayne Lester building, which sits at the northwest corner of Towne Lake Parkway and Main Street next to Hot Dog Heaven.

It’s slated to be demolished for the Towne Lake/Arnold Mill Road widening project, said City Manager Jeff Moon.

“This opportunity with the ARC presented itself, and Planning/DDA staff put the concept and the application together,” he added.

The mural will be relocated to what’s known as the Woodstock Pharmacy wall, which sits on the corner of Main and Mill Streets.

Mill Street and its sidewalks connect residents who are venturing from the farmer’s market, multi-use trails and one of the main downtown public parking areas to Main and Chambers street, the city’s downtown retail and restaurant avenues.

Other projects that will receive assistance include the city of Decatur’s Mural on Marta Overpass at the Intersection of W. Trinity and Atlanta Avenue, Hapeville 125th Anniversary Sculpture Project and the MARTA En Route Community Based Mural Project.

Inspired by the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program in 2014, a group of metro Atlanta leaders collaborated with ARC and raised funds to create the Atlanta Regional Public Art Program. The new program provides matching funding through a competitive grant process to help communities install public art in their communities. Each work of art will celebrate a community’s unique identity while symbolizing the commonalities of our region.

Sixteen jurisdictions from six different counties submitted applications in the first cycle of funding, and were asked to focus on interpreting the theme: “There is ample opportunity to participate in making history in our region.”

Eligible applicants included local governments, Community Improvement Districts, neighborhood associations and nonprofit organizations located in the 10-county Atlanta region.

“ARC and its partners believe that this program can truly be transformative for communities throughout the Atlanta region,” said ARC Executive Director Doug Hooker. “To get 16 applications in the first year proves that our local government leaders feel the same way. We look forward to finding long-term funding sources and helping create more public art that instills pride and interest in all of our communities.”

Grantees were selected by a panel of regional civic leaders, community engagement professionals, artists and design professionals selected grantees. Projects were selected based on the community engagement processes proposed for interpreting the theme in their communities and the quality of the projects that could be anticipated.

To learn more about the Atlanta Regional Public Art Program and to track project implementation, visit http://publicart.atlantaregional.com.

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Image via Shutterstock