The Roswell Arts Fund has had a vision. In full collaboration with and financial support of the city, RAF created ArtAround: Pathways to showcase a wide variety of art within the natural beauty of the city’s parks and “pathways.” From June 16 through Sept. 30, the nonprofit presented free outdoor public and performing artists, with more than 30 temporary installations, performances and workshops at Don White Park in Roswell.
“Overall, the program was tremendously successful,” said RAF Program Director Elan Buchen. “We have really positive impressions both from the public and the artists.”
One goal of the project, to expose the community to art they’ve never seen before, was an outstanding success.
On the first day Sideways Dance Company was performing in the park, Buchen encountered the Indian Greater Atlanta Telugu Association volleyball tournament with 20 teams visiting the park.
According to Buchen, that’s part of the intention of public art. By providing opportunities in unexpected spaces, you enhance the quality of the space for enjoyment.
“While fully engaged in their event, it was wonderful to see everyone turning around and watching the dancing and come over and asking some questions,” said Buchen. “For most of the people I spoke to, they had never seen contemporary dance before. It was interactions like that I found especially rewarding for the exhibit.”
RAF is currently doing their event post-mortem. Buchen notes they have already identified some things they’d like to change. With an extremely hot summer, they will be evaluating when to offer the program next, or how to manage weather fluctuations.
An online survey is seeking feedback from the community at www.tinyurl.com/ArtAroundPathwaysSurvey. Artists and performers are also providing opinions. Overall, RAF is more excited than ever for how ArtAround: Pathways might take shape next. They are delighted by how much fun it was to activate the space.
Not only did people encounter art while on a planned visit to the park, but some found the park because they spotted a sculpture as they drove by the entrance.
“The number of people I spoke to that said they never would have known the space existed was staggering,” added Buchen.
Buchen notes the nature of Pathways is that the space moves and changes. With Roswell’s Citywide Park Master Plan coming, Buchen feels Pathways can highlight public spaces and help residents and visitors anticipate the changes ahead with a spatial connection to the city’s assets.
Next up for RAF is a call for artists for the next round of Painted Utility Box and Infrastructure (PUB and I) project and Buchen has plans for a new exhibit tentatively called “Discovery of the Hidden” to encourage finding small, hidden art objects along the city’s nature trails.
Community members can get involved not only by visiting the city’s ArtAround Sculpture tours and other public art and performance events, but volunteers are needed to serve on the Roswell Arts Fund Public Art Selection Panel.
Learn more and immerse yourself in the arts at www.roswellartsfund.org.
