Tucker, ARC gauging interest in public art
City of Tucker was selected by Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) to get low-cost consulting through ARC’s Community Development Assistance Program. Tucker officials said the consulting will come via ARC officials leading a community-driven process to gauge interest in public art in downtown Tucker.
Tucker was selected for the project in May, and officials from Tucker and ARC released an update on the project in September’s issue of “InTucker.”
ARC said the project will ultimately integrate public art into the alleys in downtown Tucker to “enhance the overall sense of place, create an economic driver for local businesses, and allow all residents and visitors to feel comfortable and welcome.”
Teams made up of 2021’s ARC Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta class are developing potential mock-up designs and have been in conversation with Tucker about potential future collaboration, according to ARC officials.
City officials said the goal of the partnership with ARC is to see what kind of art residents and community members would like to see in the alleyways of downtown Tucker. ARC officials said they won’t create any of the art and don’t have a timeline on any installations, but ARC Program Manager Marian Liou told Tucker officials that they are gauging community interest, so Tucker knows what kind of art to pursue.
Tucker officials said one of their goals is to preserve downtown Tucker’s “charming, historic downtown feel,” so city officials said they don’t expect major changes.
“[Main Street in downtown Tucker has] an ambience that’s been cultivated over decades, not years. It hasn’t been done through knocking down old buildings and trees to construct new, but through creative use of existing spaces and preservation of Tucker’s historic look,” Tucker officials stated.
The downtown art could range from sculptures to murals, flashy colors, or a muted, sophisticated look, and more, they said.
In June, ARC officials said one of the proposed designs is a challenge to Tucker officials to re-think the city’s “storyline” and to add additions such as creative shade seating, greenspace, and play installations.
Another proposal ARC officials listed included adding “artistic embellishments” to the sky above the alleys similar to the “Flight Paths” exhibit at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. The proposal also called for a mural project and included suggestions for a citywide arts ordinance and sample criteria for evaluation of projects.
To provide feedback, Tucker officials said residents can complete the online survey at www.publicinput.com/tuckeralleys. ARC and Tucker officials also polled community members at Tucker Day Sept. 4.
