On a chilly, gray November day in Knoxville, a splash of vibrant color officially debuted. Local muralist and designer Dustin Durham introduced a new interactive mural covering the wall along Fort Kid and, importantly, the sidewalk. The sidewalk contains an interactive game similar to Chutes and Ladders, asking questions with moves prompted by the answers. Children and parents spotted it and begun to play before the ribbon fell.
The sidewalk also connects the playground with the art museum, with the crosswalk between the two to be enhanced with a separate painted design in early spring of next year. The city hopes families will enjoy both the museum and the playground. Both amenities are free to the public.
Funding for the project came from the American Rescue Plan Act and “were allocated after Mayor Kincannon proposed, and City Council approved, a plan for the Art and Culture Alliance to administer grants to support local art and culture projects to aid in the COVID-19 recovery process. These grants help by providing jobs and education, boosting tourism, and providing community benefit.”
Mayor Kincannon spoke a few words before introducing Dustin. She thanked him for including the community (several dozen children and others helped with the work) and for sharing his vision with the city. She thanked those who made the project possible expressed her gratitude for the funds and for the Arts Council and Liza Zenni for their help.
Dustin (who works for the East Tennessee Community Design Center) said he’s always been a fan of color despite the fact that, “I went to architecture school where everything tends to be black and gray . . . When I saw the location, obviously what stood out to me were the Victorian Homes . . . and the color of those homes. I believe in art that is based on the place it is in. I am a believer that art is a public good and it is a way to bring communities together.”
He hit on the idea to make it interactive to “make the playground more of a living thing.” He also used “sidewalk clings, like you see on the Peppermint Trail” in the hopes they would be changed out periodically to introduce different prompts to “keep the game fresh.” He said he will add a few finishing touches later on. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and said, “I’m very grateful to help families make memories.”
The ribbon was cut, and the kids (some not so young) took over from there. Be sure to drop by and check it out.