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Eric Gurevich
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Fund for the Arts, 1619 Flux Art + Activism and Louisville Metro Government Public Art Unveil New Fran Huettig Public Art Series
Announces Call for New Project Proposals
Louisville, KY (October 15, 2018) – On Sunday, Fund for the Arts, 1619 Flux Art + Activism, and Louisville Metro Government Public Art unveiled three public murals by artist Braylyn Stewart and an ongoing work by artist Bryan Holden as part of the Fran Huettig Public Art Series. This series expands Fund for the Arts commitment as a collaborative partner in cultivating public art for the Louisville community and furthering key priorities of the Imagine Greater Louisville 2020 plan.
Mural by artist Braylyn Stewart
“With this project, we aim to revitalize, inspire and engage the entire community through local, publicly accessible art,” said Christen Boone, president and CEO of Fund for the Arts. “We can think of no better way to honor Fran Huettig’s legacy than by cultivating the brilliance of local artists into a shared arts experience for the entire community.”
Established in 2016 and the result of a partnership between Fund for the Arts, 1619 Flux Art + Activism and Louisville Metro Government Public Art, the Fran Huettig Public Art Series encompasses a five-year series of annually commissioned artwork exhibited in spaces accessible to the public. Braylyn Stewart was the first artist selected and has created three murals to launch the series at 18th & Muhammad Ali, Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, and now Louisville Recovery. The second artist selected, Bryan Holden, debuted his work located at the Russell Apartments-New Directions Housing Corporation. Holden is currently working with the Russell neighborhood on a second collaborative project.
In addition to bringing publicly accessible artwork to the Greater Louisville community, the series also honors the memory of Fran Huettig, a beloved employee of The Fund from 1997 until 2007. Fran is remembered for her vivacious spirit and dedication to public art and the mission of increasing access to the arts. She passed away in 2013.
At the unveiling, Fund for the Arts also announced a call for local artists to submit qualifications for the third of five public art installations to be commissioned by the Series. The commission is in partnership with New Directions Housing Corporation for a long-term project, sited for five or more years, which will capture and develop an expression referencing the past, present and future of a West Louisville neighborhood, inviting dialogue and interaction in a space accessible to the community. Artists, art collectives and arts organizations can submit their qualifications and examples of previous work involving visual art, site-specific interventions and interactive, sound or digital media projects. Artists interested in creating collaborative, community-focused projects are encouraged to apply here: https://fundforthearts.org/fran-huettig-public-art-project/
In accordance with the mission set forth in Imagine Greater Louisville 2020, the Fran Huettig Public Art Series, made possible through the Fund for the Arts and Barbara and Kara Nichols of 1619 Flux, brings art and culture to the daily lives of the Louisville community, adding a richness to our city’s urban landscape and celebrating local talent.
“We are overjoyed to honor Fran’s lifelong passion for the arts and our community,” said Barbara Nichols, sister of the late Fran Hueittg. “Elevating the visual aesthetic of any neighborhood unleashes so many benefits- increased social, cultural, and economic. Our family is grateful to help fuel creativity.”
About Fund for the Arts
Fund for the Arts is a regional nonprofit with the mission to maximize the impact of the arts on economic development, education, and quality of life in our community. The Fund is a convener, promoter, leader, and driver of Imagine Greater Louisville 2020, the region’s arts & cultural plan. It facilitates the largest arts grant program in Kentucky as well as conducts one of the oldest united arts campaigns in the country. For more information, visit www.fundforthearts.org.
About 1619 Flux Art + Activism
1619 Flux: Art + Activism is a creative space where art intersects with empowering dialogue toward the aim of inspiring hopeful community change. Seeing a city hindered by segregation, Kara Nichols founded 1619 Flux in early 2016. Located in a gallery-styled facility in Louisville’s Portland neighborhood, 1619 Flux leverages the power of artistic expression to unite diverse residents and artists across the city to engage issues impacting our most disadvantaged communities. For more information, visit www.1619flux.org.
About Louisville Metro Government Public Art
Louisville Metro Government established a Public Art Initiative in 2010 following the City’s first Public Art Master Plan. The purpose of the Public Art Initiative is to provide high quality art installations, management of the City’s permanent collection, and administrative support services to the public so that all residents and visitors may benefit from an enhanced visual environment.
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