Photo credit:  Photo courtesy Public Art Chattanooga

Allied Arts received a $250,000 grant from the National Endowment of the Arts.  Chattanooga was chosen as one of the 51 “Our Town” projects.   Allied Arts President Dan Bowers explained that “Thanks to the ingenuity that our community partners brought to the table, this is the largest NEA grant that Allied Arts has ever received.”  The NEA’s inaugural round of Our Town funding totals $6.575 million in grants to 51 communities in 34 states.

"Heavy Metal," an interactive installation at Coolidge Park, is a great way to teach children about making sounds while enjoying the green spaces and outdoor fun along the Tennessee River.

The new park, expected to be completed in the summer of 2012, will feature public art and will combine sculptural and interactive elements in a playground setting to be known as “Main Terrain”.  The park will serve Battle Academy and the Chattanooga Convention Center, four neighborhoods and several corporate campuses.

Through a partnership between the City of Chattanooga’s Department of Parks & Recreation, Department of Public Works, Public Art Chattanooga, local businesses, and non-profit organizations this new park will create a distinctive urban center that will combine sculpture, green space and a unique place for physical play.

Neighborhood partners include PlayCore, an international outdoor equipment manufacturer that will ensure the park design meets industry standards, as well as Outdoor Chattanooga (a division of the city’s Department of Parks & Recreation), green|spaces, Ross/Fowler, the Trust for Public Land, the Active Living Transportation Network, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Kennedy, Coulter, Rushing & Watson, two urban hostels, and two fitness centers.

“The park will enlarge the revitalization footprint by creating a gathering space for the community, will use interactive public art to encourage active lifestyles, and will serve as a catalyst for economic and community growth”, said Peggy Townsend.

NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman said. “In this time of great economic upheaval, Our Town provides communities an opportunity to reignite their economies.”  Our Town promotes projects through which partners from both public and private sectors come together to strategically shape the social, physical, and economic character of a neighborhood, town, city, or region around arts and cultural activities.

Public art is designed to enrich the places and spaces where Chattanooga families live, work and play.  While enhancing our city’s landscapes public art installations also provide opportunities for interaction and aesthetic appreciation, stirring conversation and providing creative dimensions to civic spaces, encouraging outdoor activity and supporting tourism.

More than 100 public art installations provide Chattanoogans and our visitors with unique opportunities for reflection, enjoyment and conversation, whether it is learning new dance steps on Frazier Avenue, making music with Heavy Metal at Coolidge Park or listening to the descriptions of art works on Main Street.

Visit www.publicartchattanooga.com for information, maps and interactive guides.