Colorful murals line many of Alpena’s downtown walls and a new addition is coming soon.
The Michigan Arts and Culture Council recently awarded the city $14,350 to commission six new murals. They’ve supported several of Alpena’s other murals.
Anne Gentry is the executive director of downtown development in the city. She said the alleyways have become community spaces where people can mingle outside, and adding more artwork to the alleyway will be the cherry on top.
"We saw some of those businesses holding music, concert events, things like that," she said. "So it’s definitely been well received by the community, and definitely a better use of public space in the downtown opposed to just a thoroughfare for cars.
The idea was first pitched by an Alpena native who was working as a professional mural artist in Colorado, she said. Since then, the community has welcomed the artform.
Gentry sees the third mural that the city commissioned on her way to work
"The wall previously was just a red cinderblock wall," she said. "It’s called Wave Journey. So it’s a very colorful piece of abstract art with waves that intersect. It’s so colorful, especially on days like today when it’s gray outside."
The town is looking for an artist to bring something that is thought provoking with its own style, but not too different from the rest of the city, she said.
“What we really would like to see is what is their dream vision for a piece of artwork," Gentry said. "Especially one that’s inspired by the artwork we have already downtown.”
The city hopes to paint three large scale murals and three smaller ones for the alleyways, she said.
Applications are open here.