Published: August 14, 2007 10:09 pm            

Community center art project in the works

Grant money to fund mural for Booker T. Washington Community Center

TERRE HAUTE — Brad Venable is working to beautify Terre Haute one wall at a time.

“Initially I was just thinking with all the blank walls we have, it would be nice to have an enormous number of murals all over the city,” the Indiana State University arts education professor said. “… Arts is also a way for a community to economically thrive.”

Venable and project co-coordinator Nancy Nichols-Pethick, an assistant painting professor at ISU, received a $5,000 grant Tuesday from Terre Haute Mayor Kevin Burke on behalf of the Gilbert Wilson Memorial Mural Project.

They plan to add that money to another grant they received from the Center for Public Service and Community Engagement to fund a mural for the north outside wall of the Booker T. Washington Park Community Center.

Similar to how the mural for the Terre Haute Boys and Girls Club was created, students from Nichols-Pethick’s intermediate painting and beginning painting classes will help the artist complete the mural.

“It’s part of what they do for the class,” she said, “and I really see it more as just an opportunity for an experience to see what it’s like to work with a professional artist, to do a public project in the community, so it’s really more about the experience than the grade.”

An artist to paint the mural is expected to be selected in the next two weeks, Nichols-Pethick said. A committee is reviewing five artists’ proposals for the project.

Money from the grant they received from the city of Terre Haute is expected to go toward buying materials for the project and paying for the artist’s travel, she said.

The Gilbert Wilson Memorial Mural Project was named in honor of the late muralist from Terre Haute, who created several large works of art in public buildings throughout the city, including in the entrance to Woodrow Wilson Middle School and in the University School on North Seventh Street.

It was one of nine groups to receive grants. This is the second year for the Terre Haute Arts Grants program.

Many 2006 grant recipients also received grants this year, such as the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra, Swope Art Museum, Arts Spaces, Crossroads of America Youth Orchestra, Crossroads Repertory Theater and Arts Illiana for their live music lunches.

Other grant recipients were the Terre Haute Community Band and a new program from last year, ArtReach.

ArtReach provides an opportunity for anyone to create art with the supervision of professional artists and others who work with the creative arts.

People meet from 6 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday to create art at the Maryland Community Church on Indiana 46. The program began about three years ago.

Money from the grant will allow the program to move downtown to Seventh Street and Wabash Avenue in a space above the 7th Street Vintage Clothing Store beginning in September.

Money for the grants are from a line item in the mayor’s office budget generated from property tax revenue, according to Peter Ciancone, communications director for the city.

Organizations were asked to turn in proposals modeled after some of the criteria used for the Indiana Arts Commission. The projects came from groups based or working in the city or providing a permanent addition to the community’s art.

Bill Long, director of Public Works; along with Cliff Lambert, City Council member and executive director of the city Department of Redevelopment; and Ciancone make up the committee that decides who should be awarded the grants.

Last year $25,265 was awarded to seven different groups. This year $34,205 was awarded to nine different groups. Ciancone said he doesn’t know how much will be set aside for next year.

“This year the budget is quite a bit different and we’re not going to ask for anything until the revenue is clearer,” he said. “ … We’re confident we’ll have it and look forward to sustaining it at least at this level.”

Still, he said he’s impressed with what the groups are doing with the money.

“These are small grants,” Ciancone said, “but the organizations are able to produce a lot with them.”

Crystal Garcia can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or crystal.garcia@tribstar.com.



Check it out

2007 Terre Haute|

Arts Grants Recipients

• Crossroads of America Youth Orchestra: $750

• Terre Haute Community Band: $2,012

• Arts Illiana Live Music Lunch: $3,450

• Arts Reach: $3,450

• Crossroads Repertory Theater: $4,543

• Swope Art Museum: $5,000

• Arts Spaces: $5,000

• Gilbert Wilson Memorial Mural Project: $5,000

• Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra: $5,000

Total grants awarded: $34,205

        

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