The Barton Arts Movement is pleased to announce a new large scale mural to be installed at 2602 10th Street in Great Bend, on the northwest corner of the 10th & Washington intersection. This will be the fourth and final art installation of the 2023 season for the volunteer-led arts group, measuring approximately 14' high and 58' wide.
"We are thrilled to add some color to this busy intersection in Great Bend," said Rachel Mawhirter, volunteer for Barton Arts Movement. "This intersection sees approximately 17,000 vehicles traveling east and west down 10th Street every day, so this vibrant and colorful new mural will make a big impact. We are very grateful to the property owner for allowing us to use their building as a canvas for this project."
The building at 2602 10th Street is owned by KJS Ventures, LLC and will be painted by Houston, Texas artist Whitney Hayden (Murals by Whitney). Hayden has built quite a reputation on social media and TikTok for her signature "color melt" technique, which will be featured in this new mural in Great Bend, Kansas.
"As we were deciding what subject matter to center around, we knew we wanted this to be something eye catching and welcoming, so we've partnered with the City of Great Bend, the Great Bend Foundation, and the Barton Arts Council to make sure this mural can become a landmark and photo-worthy backdrop for years to come," Mawhirter said. "The artwork will feature a 'Welcome to Great Bend' message and a doodle-style embellishment just invites you to interact with it and take photos of it."
Total investment for this project is $14,000. Because of the generous grants provided by the entities Mawhirter named, and a few other private donors, the project is already more than 70% funded. Barton Arts Movement volunteers are actively fundraising for the remaining $3,000 (approx.) that is still needed to complete this project in August 2023.
"We have only shared the rendering with a select group of donors at this point, and are doing something different to unveil the artist's rendering as we fundraise for the project," Mawhirter says. "The public is invited and encouraged to engage with our fundraiser on the Barton Arts Movement facebook page, where they can donate to remove a square from the grid that's hiding the mural rendering. As donations pour in, more and more of the mural will be revealed."
Tax-deductible donations are being collected by the Golden Belt Community Foundation, 1307 Williams Street in Great Bend, KS 67530. Donations can also be made online through the BAM website. Any donations received in excess of this project's needs will be used for murals in the 2024 season.
The Barton Arts Movement is driven by volunteers and operates under the fiscal sponsorship of the Golden Belt Community Foundation, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization. Anyone interested in following the group's events and projects can follow BAM on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/bartonartsmovement. Or, learn more at www.BartonArtsMovement.com.