The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has awarded the Town of Wake Forest a $10,000 matching grant to be used for three downtown mural projects.
An advisory group comprised of representatives from the Town and Wake Forest Downtown, Inc., was recently appointed to select three downtown properties on which to have murals painted. The mural at the first site, located at 352 S White Street, and owned by W&W Properties & Investments, LLC, was recently completed. Declaring “Life is Sweet in Downtown Wake Forest,” the mural was painted by artist Lisa Gaither, who has installed murals in several other North Carolina locations, including Wendell, Raleigh, and Lumberton.
The other two designs and sites are in the planning stages and will be announced once plans are finalized.
Said Downtown Development Director Lisa Hayes: “We are extremely excited about our first mural and the others coming to the Renaissance Area as a result of this grant. Art plays an important role in economic development, and murals create a tangible sense of place and destination, while also adding color, vibrancy and character to the area.”
Residents are encouraged to take pictures in front of the downtown murals and post them on social media with the hashtag #TownofWakeForest.
Source: Bill Crabtree, Town of Wake Forest
