PARIS TN: Arts grant will allow painting of alleyways
From The Paris Intelligencer —
If all goes according to plan, even the alleyways in downtown Paris will be a site to see. A partnership dubbed Back Alley Paris aims to paint the town — or, at least, its alleys — beginning with the alley next to the city’s downtown park.
The partnership between the City of Paris, the Downtown Paris Association, and the Lee Academy for the Arts is being funded with a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission. The Arts Building Community, or ABC, grant will help make Paris a must-see destination, while still keeping the historic character of downtown Paris, according to Kathy Ray, DPA executive director. As part of the project, local artists will help improve public spaces, and display a sense of community character and pride, Ray stated.
“We are excited to have an accomplished artist, Jane Griffin Baars, for the first alley,” Ray stated. “Jane graduated from Henry County High School, received her bachelor’s degree from Maryville University, master’s degree from Valdosta State University, and spent many years in art education. We are glad to have her back in Paris.”
The public is invited to the downtown park at 5 p.m. today to watch Baars paint downtown businesses and events from the 1900s. Citizens are encouraged to bring written stories and ideas for future murals to the park at that time, or at anytime to the DPA office at 203 N. Fentress St.
“We believe the unique ‘Back Alleys’ and historical views will lead visitors to the front doors of our downtown area creating economic revitalization for downtown merchants and property owners,” Ray stated.
The ABC grant program is designed to provide support for arts projects that broaden access to arts experiences and improve the community’s quality of life through the arts.
