ART is a Start

Why is ART important to our community? Because it can inspire, unify, and transform that community. At our kick-off for the the Community Arts Alliance, Jenna Abbott from the Mack Road Partnership told the story about how a local artist, BAMR, with ties to the neighborhood, painted a mural on the wall of a 7-Eleven where tagging and crime were a BIG problem. The work is entitled “Hold on to your Dreams...” Once the mural was up, tagging has been eliminated there and crime in that area much reduced.

Lesson learned: Art can make a statement and have a huge impact without saying a word. And it happens one corner at a time...