Atlanta, November 14th, 2009 – Celebration to include live music. Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., The BeltLine Partnership, Councilmember Cleta Winslow (District 4), City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs and artist Malaika Favorite invite you to the dedication for West End Remembers on Saturday November 14, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. The mural was created by artist Malaika Favorite and is located on White Street on the Lawton Street Bridge underpass (across the street from 1070 White Street). The Kebbi Williams Quartet will perform following the dedication.
Malaika Favorite is a Georgia-based artist who has worked on several public art commissions that include community involvement and participation. Her murals include: The Women of Brewster Place Mural, created in 2007 located on Auburn Avenue, a mural painted with children involved in the City of Atlanta’s Summer Murals and ARTSCooL programs located at the Rosel Fann Recreation Center in 2006 and the West End Mall Mural created in 1999.
“This has been a rewarding experience, especially with the involvement of the community, the children. I am grateful to be a permanent part of the West End through the creation of West End Remembers.”
This artwork was born out of Council Member Winslow’s efforts to curb graffiti in her district, and will be the first of many murals around the city whose goal is to engage youth and beautify city spaces.
“I would like to thank all of the entities that came together to make this happen, of course the artist, Malaika Favorite, but also my partners in funding the artwork, Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., and the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs” said District 4 City Council Member Cleta Winslow.
This project is a joint effort between Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., which commissioned the artwork, Councilmember Cleta Winslow’s office and the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs, which administered the project.
A selection panel that included several members of the community chose the artist after reviewing 20 submissions for the project. This is the first of many public art projects that will be incorporated into the design of the BeltLine. This effort will include commissioned works of public art, as well as artist designed park and transit features such as benches, lighting, transit stations and other streetscape features along the BeltLine corridor.
“West End Remembers is the mural along the BeltLine and we couldn’t be more proud of the collaborative effort around this artwork. We are looking forward to many more cultural outreach efforts along the BeltLine as it develops,” said Fred Yalouris, Director of Design for Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.
The City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs is committed to working with Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. to create opportunities for public art along the BeltLine. The partnership creates jobs for artists and cultural exposure for children and the communities in which the artwork is placed.
About the BeltLine:
The Atlanta BeltLine is a $2.8 billion redevelopment project that will shape the way Atlanta grows over the next 25 years and beyond. The project provides a network of public parks, multi-use trails and transit along a historic 22-mile railroad corridor circling downtown and connecting many neighborhoods directly to each other. The BeltLine is the most comprehensive economic development effort ever undertaken in the City of Atlanta and among the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment projects currently underway in the United States. Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. (ABI), formed by the Atlanta Development Authority, is the entity tasked with planning and executing the implementation of the BeltLine in partnership with other public and private organizations, including City of Atlanta departments. For more information about the BeltLine, please visit www.BeltLine.org.
About the Office of Cultural Affairs:
The City of Atlanta’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA), a division of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, was established in 1974 to encourage and support Atlanta’s cultural resources. The initial mission was to solidify the role that arts and other cultural resources play in defining and enhancing the social fabric and quality of life of Atlanta citizens and visitors.
Today the OCA is working to enhance Atlanta’s reputation as a cultural destination. The OCA supports programs that educate and expose the public to a rich and diverse range of cultural expressions through a variety of initiatives.
CONTACT
David Mitchell, dnmitchell@atlantaga.gov, 404-817-7957
Ethan Davidson, edavidson@atlbeltline.org, 404-614-8325
