NextThreeDays: Event Display

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and Unveiling of Town of Blacksburg's Storm Drain Public Murals
Venue: Marcia’s Park, Blacksburg
Directions: Google Map Link
Organizations: Town of Blacksburg
Date: Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Time: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Event Types: Arts & Theatre, Speaking Engagements
Cost: Free

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Description:
The Town of Blacksburg presents the Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Unveiling of the Storm Drain Public Murals on Tuesday, July 31, 2018 at Marcia’s Park in downtown Blacksburg, VA.

Four local storm drain art murals will be unveiled at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Join Blacksburg Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith in celebrating these four original murals that now decorate the downtown area. The event will kickoff at Marcia’s Park at the corner of Clay Street and Draper Road and will include a brief walking tour to visit each of the four completed murals. Several of the artists will be in attendance to share details on their design concept and process.

About the Storm Drain Mural Project:
It is a common misconception that the water that enters a storm drain goes through some type of treatment process. In reality, storm drains are designed to simply direct storm water away from roads and buildings to prevent damage to public and private property. This water goes directly underground enabling surface pollution that is left on the streets and sidewalks to enter the local waterways unhindered.

To raise awareness of the water quality impacts of pollution entering our waterways via storm drains the Town of Blacksburg has partnered with local artists to install four original murals on selected storm drains in the downtown area. The core message this mural project wants to convey is “nothing but rain down the drain.”

How It Began:
A design competition was opened in early 2018 where local artists were encouraged to submit a design to help raise public awareness of these issues. The town received 55 original design concepts from 41 different artists.

The four artists selected were: Nicole Hersch, Shoshana Levenson, Ben Oderwald, and Michael St. Germain.

This initiative builds off the 16-Frogs project as a complementary effort to draw attention to the town’s now-hidden waterways by placing bronze statues strategically through the town. Both projects work in conjunction to bring attention to the freshwater under and around the streets and connect it with our local culture and history.

Marcia's Park is located at 200 Clay Street in Blacksburg, VA at the corner of Clay Street and Draper Road.

For more information, visit: http://www.blacksburg.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/61147/ or https://www.facebook.com/events/1976749532615689/.