Macon Times

County of Bibb issued the following announcement on Aug. 12. 

From the Macon Transit Authority:

Background

The Macon-Bibb County Transit Authority is grateful to be one of 23 recipients of a Downtown Challenge 2.0 Grant awarded in June. MTA proposed a wraparound mural at MTA’s Transfer Station. Our goal, as stated on our application: to inject bold, attention-grabbing art into the dreary corner of Fifth and Poplar Streets.

That corner is particularly important to MTA because every bus on every route travels through that intersection daily. Despite a 37% reduction in ridership in 2020 due to the pandemic, 395,547 bus riders passed through that intersection last year, in addition to the vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

Previously, the Macon Arts Alliance was awarded a Downtown Challenge Grant to complete a set of three murals at the Transfer Station. MTA’s wraparound mural will complete the mural wall.

Downtown Challenge 2.0 Grant

For the current grant, MTA collaborated with Colin Penndorf of Triangle Arts on an ART CALL, requesting a Macon-centric, wraparound design. The CALL was launched on July 7 with a July 25  deadline. Also, it was posted on MTA’s website and Facebook page, reaching 6,106 people, with 315 engagements, and 33 shares. 12 distinctive submissions were received.

A seven-member committee selected the winning design — two members of the arts community: Julie Wilkerson, Executive Director of the Macon Arts Alliance and artist Mary-Frances Burt of Burt & Burt, plus five MTA staff members: Andy Stroud, Senior V.P. & Terminal Station Manager; June Slaughter, Paratransit Manager; Jeanie Wells, Dispatch Supervisor; Stacey Wilson, Bus Operator; and Jami Gaudet, Public Information Officer.

The 12 submissions were presented at the MTA’s July 27 board meeting and the mural selection committee met on August 2. Each committee member’s perspective was important. All submissions were carefully examined and judged on their beauty, educational value, and inspirational qualities.

The required portfolio and resume were studied to ensure that the artist selected was capable of completing this large, high-profile mural in a timely and professional manner.

The 12 designs were culled to three, discussed further, and then voted on secretly in ranking order.

And the winner is…The Spirit of Macon by artist and Georgia College and State University professor Abraham Abebe.

Coming soon: more information on the artist, mural start date, the design, etc.

Original source can be found here.

Source: County of Bibb