PUBLIC ART PROJECT
In conjunction with Public Art Chattanooga, the St. Elmo community will soon purchase a sculpture for the grassy area at the cross-section of St. Elmo Avenue and Tennessee Avenue, directly in front of the historic Incline Railway. In doing so, we have a wonderful opportunity to expand the downtown public arts movement to St. Elmo and demonstrate our love for the arts and our neighborhood to all who visit.
Funding and Support
This opportunity has been made possible through matching money given to the City by the Lyndhurst Foundation. Currently, we have $18,500 available toward the project if we can raise the remaining $3,000 from within the community. Please consider making a donation today!
To donate, send a check made out to:
Festive St. Elmo
and mail it to:
Festive St Elmo
4517 Alabama Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37409
OR
Donate online via PayPal — just click the button!
Project Goals
Through the installation of public art, we hope to promote:
Community Building: The very nature of public art is that it exists in the public sphere for the consumption of all, regardless of racial, social, or economic factors. It belongs to the community and plays a role in defining our public space, as well as challenging and stretching us.
Neighborhood Beautification: Placing a sculpture at the intersection of St. Elmo and Tennessee Avenues will continue the beautification efforts of the neighborhood and further the vision of a revitalized historic St. Elmo.
Economic Development: Over the last several years, Chattanooga has seen a property-value boom in areas of town that have been restored (e.g., Main Street). A public art movement in St. Elmo will create an incentive for people to move into the St. Elmo neighborhood and further the revitalization and economic development of our community.
Selection Process
The selection of the sculpture will be determined through a City RFP process (Request for Proposals), requesting submissions from artists in the Southeast United States. Once the Public Art Committee (a committee made up of a diverse group of St. Elmo residents and business owners) receives an adequate number of submissions for consideration, Public Works will review a maximum of five pieces at the Committee's recommendation. Once Public Works approves a minimum of two pieces, the St. Elmo community at large will be given the opportunity to vote on the selections. Whichever sculpture receives the most support will be purchased and installed on the site.
More Information
For more information about this project, click here to download the full proposal in PDF format.
Spread the word!
Please tell others who love St Elmo what is going on. You can click here to download a brochure in PDF format suitable for posting and distribution.