Art Outdoors, new public art initiative, set to debut in Dothan

A new art initiative, funded by the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the Alabama Arts Tag grant, is set to debut in Dothan this April.

Art in Public Places is launching Art Outside, a new quarterly outdoor public art project designed to bring installations throughout the Wiregrass region. The initiative hopes to improve public spaces with temporary exhibits by accomplished artists.

The first installation will feature textile artist Nicole Hemmerly, debuting at the Loop Music and Art Festival in April. Her work will include large-scale woven textile installations.

Art in Public Places

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The new series of art installations will be placed in high-traffic areas, aligning them with local events. The new initiative hopes to foster a sense of place and encouraging interaction with public art.

The goals for Art Outside include:

• Bringing art to the people rather than bringing people to the art
• Offering a more unconventional and immersive art experience beyond traditional gallery settings
• Using natural landscapes to create cohesive, site-responsive installations
• Encouraging the Wiregrass community to view art through a new lens
• Providing educational opportunities that connect art, nature and community history

“We see AO as an opportunity to make art part of everyday life. By transforming public spaces into art installations, we hope to spark meaningful conversations and shift perceptions of what art can be in the Wiregrass.”

Holly Roberts Meyers, Art in Public Places Executive Director

The project has already announced its first three artists in the series including:

• Nicole Hemmerly | South Foster + East Crawford Streets | April 11
• Sanders Head | Solomon Park | Summer
• Stacey Holloway | Dothan’s outdoor amphitheater | September

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