Art for all

For a decade, the streets of downtown Fayetteville have been alive with art.

Folks out for a stroll don’t have to walk far to see works like “The Feather,” Kirk Seese’s shimmering masterpiece that dances with light and texture and “Oak Leaf Arch VII,” by Jim Gallucci, a galvanized steel celebration of a canopy knitted together by the branches of an oak tree.

They are part of ArtScape, a transformative public art initiative by the Arts Council of Fayetteville | Cumberland County, celebrating its milestone 10^th Anniversary this year. Summer has always been an exciting time for ArtScape when new art comes to town, but this year, a big change is on the way.

The Arts Council is moving its annual art installation from early July to October 5, escaping the mid-summer heat and following on the heels of the city’s annual International Folk Festival at the end of September. It will also be part of the city’s commemoration of the nation’s 250^th birthday.

Eventually, installation of new art will shift to springtime, primarily for the artists’ comfort, said Sarah Busman, Director of Community Engagement at the Arts Council.

Many of the artists featured in ArtScape install their own works or participate in the installation.

“We want our artists to feel like they have some input into the process, and they have told us while they love being here, the first two weeks of July are just so hot,” she said.

Hanna Jubran, an artist from Pitt County, is grateful for the change. From inspiration to installation, he handles his own large works.

“In my studio I have all the tools and all the equipment I need,” he said. “I do the cutting, the welding, loading, unloading, and installing by myself.”

Jubran has been a constant presence in Fayetteville’s public art scene for nearly three decades, starting in 1997 when he created the Unite entranceway near the Honors Residency Hall on the Fayetteville State University campus.

ArtScape9 features two of Jubran’s sculptures that are an ode to the natural world – “Water Drop” in Festival Park and “Sound of the Elements” at the intersection of Grove and Green Streets.

“For me, art is about what you see with your eyes, and how it makes you feel,” he said. “My art is not just a piece of metal with paint on it. It’s an idea and a concept, and I want people to stop and think about the richness of the information I’m giving them.”

ArtScape was born about 15 years ago out of an initiative to transform downtown Fayetteville into an open-air art gallery as part of revitalization efforts, but the community didn’t connect with the concept at first, says Bob Pinson, Arts Council CEO.

“We found that people couldn’t relate to the art we chose, so we took a pause and in 2016 we began marching forward again,” he said.

He credits local architect Eric Lindstrom, former chair of Fayetteville’s Public Arts Committee, with developing the ArtScape concept, designed as an annual rotating installation of public art that would be on display for a year. Artists would receive travel expenses and compensation for leasing their work to the city. For ArtScape 9, that payment was $3,000.

“We first launched the new program as ‘Works In Progress,’ concentrated in the Cool Springs downtown district to draw people in and build a sense of community,” Pinson said. “We started with 16 pieces and after a few years renamed the program ArtScape to give it a sense of identity and permanency.”

ArtScape is a popular juried exhibit, attracting as many as 200 submissions a year from artists all over the country, Busman said.

As part of the selection process, a panel of Arts Council trustees, staff and community members evaluate the submissions and recommend the top 25 to Fayetteville’s Public Art Commission. The commission’s recommendations go to the city manager for final approval.

“This process gives us an added layer of assurance we’re making good choices for our community and a good fit in the spaces we have available,” Busman said.

It is funded by the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and the NC Arts Council.

Local sponsors, including businesses, community groups, and individuals also play a major role by sponsoring pieces of art. The combination of public investment and local buy-in helps pay artists, covers installation and maintenance costs, and covers promotional materials and a phone app that enables individuals to enjoy a tour, guided by the artists’ own recorded voices.

The Arts Council encourages locals and visitors to stroll through downtown and interact with the sculptures, whether that means taking selfies for social media, listening to the artists describe their works on the app. or quietly taking in the beauty and meaning of each piece.

ArtScape also brings visitors to downtown Fayetteville, stimulates spending at nearby shops and restaurants, and brings people together.

Studies show that public art is more than just a cultural enhancement — it’s an economic driver. The Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 report found that the nonprofit arts sector, in 2022, generated $72.1 million in economic activity in Cumberland County, including nearly $28 million in spending by arts audiences.

“Public art has the power to break down barriers, encourage people to have conversations, and learn more about each other,” Pinson said.

In addition to leasing the art, the Arts Council, in partnership with individuals, businesses and organizations, purchases some of the works, turning temporary installations into permanent additions to Fayetteville’s landscape.

“Since 2016, we’ve purchased 21 pieces of art that were originally displayed in ArtScape,” Pinson said.

One of the most prominent purchases is the popular “Natural Embrace,” by Paul Hill, a 16-foot-tall glass-and-steel sculpture of a Venus Flytrap located at Person Street Plaza. It was originally part of the early “Works In Progress” art program and was a community favorite.

For Pinson, the enthusiastic response to “Natural Embrace” was just what he needed to realize that ArtScape would have a long future in Fayetteville.

“The community absolutely loved the sculpture, so we did an extensive capital campaign and raised $38,000 to purchase it,” he said. “Even kids donated 25 cents or a dollar here and there, and it was truly rewarding to see that kind of buy-in.”

There have been other favorites over the years too, including ArtScape9’s “Red Bear” by James Futral.

For nearly a year “Red Bear” has held court near the front door of the Arts Council offices on Hay Street, like an unofficial greeter with its constant presence and friendly face.

Chris Walker, Facilities Manager at the Arts Council, has become accustomed to seeing “Red Bear” outside his window every day, and he enjoys watching people’s reactions to it when they pass by.

“They love that bear and they’ve had fun interacting with it all year,” he said. “It’s big and colorful, and it feels like it has been there forever.”

ArtScape9 was Walker’s first year helping with the art installations. Before he joined the Arts Council, he enjoyed the sculptures as a member of the community. Helping put the works in their places gives him a new perspective.

“I’m a big museum fan to begin with, but participating in the installation gives me a deeper appreciation for the artists because I get a chance to speak to them about their work,” he said. “Considering the time and effort they take to create their art and put it on display is one of the reasons we should care about it.”

ArtScape’s move to fall also sets the stage for future changes, says Busman.

“We would love to install pieces at new sites,” she said. “We’re an arts council for the whole county, and bringing ArtScape to other municipal branches would be a cool expansion opportunity for us.”

Pinson recalls a time when his father advised him to plant more trees because even though he may never enjoy sitting in the shade or swinging from their branches, someone else would someday.

“My dad told me that we must continue to do things in life, not because we might benefit from them but because others will,” Pinson said.

He views ArtScape that way.

“The sculptures are out there on the street in the sunshine and in the rain and they are influencing our community in positive ways,” he said. “What I really love the most about our public art program is seeing someone stop and smile or watching a little kid run up to a giant flower or reach out to the red bear and hug its leg, and that’s what it’s all about.