PROMOTING THE ARTS: ACA donates $15,000 to Merchant’s Alley project
Published 7:00 am Tuesday, March 30, 2021
- Clint Shelton, president of the Alabama Center for the Arts Foundation, presents Athens Main Street Executive Director Tere Richardson with a $15,000 check for the Merchant's Alley project on The Square in Athens. Once completed, Merchant's Alley will feature artwork created by local students. Also on hand for the presentation were Athens State University President Philip Way, Sen. Arthur Orr, Mayor Ronnie Marks, County Commission Chairman Collin Daly and other representatives from ACA.
Back in January, Athens Main Street announced an upcoming project to turn the alleyway between its office and Terranova’s on The Square in Athens into a space that visitors can use to eat or hang out while taking in some local art.
Main Street is partnering with Athens State University, Calhoun Community College and the Alabama Center for the Arts to make “Passages,” an interactive art project for the alley. On Monday, Clint Shelton, president of the ACA Foundation, presented Main Street Executive Director Tere Richardson with a check for $15,000 for the art project.
“We want to thank (Athens Main Street) for this fantastic vision by Tere and her board,” Shelton said. “We think this dovetails perfectly into what we are trying to achieve. We are proud to be associated with it.”
According to Main Street, the project will consist of three separate doors that will use art to create an element of surprise for visitors. The artwork will be created by ACA students from Athens State and Calhoun.
“The overall theme of the alley is ‘Athens Amplified,’ with music at its core, and will resonate through art,” Main Street said. “For that reason, students will glean inspiration from past icons and images from Limestone County’s musical past. The art will be on display for one year. After that time, students will have another opportunity to create the next annual installation.”
Richardson said she is excited to see what local art students will come up with for the project.
“We are also excited for our beautiful hometown to have this example of art and for people to be able to come here and gather,” she said. “We are very excited about the ongoing relationship with the ACA.”
Richardson said the Merchant’s Alley project is expected to be complete in June.
“We are thrilled about this project,” Shelton said. “Our objective is to get the word out about the Alabama Center for the Arts down in Decatur. We are working to get the message out throughout our footprint with projects just like this one.”
Merchant’s Alley will be located at 107 N. Jefferson St. Visit www.athensmainstreet.org for more information on the project.
