The Texarkana Arts and Historic District has been awarded $35,000 from the Texas Commission on the Arts to fund three art projects downtown. In addition, the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council has received a grant of $5, 500 for the “Goodnight, My Love” exhibit. This exhibit contains Dr. Ernest Withers’ Civil Rights Photography Collection which documents African American lifestyle and the Civil Rights Movement in 1970’s Memphis alongside the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The $35,000 Cultural Project Grant will be used to continue the Light Sculpture project around the U.S. Federal Courthouse/Post Office that sits directly on Stateline Avenue. Installation is slated to begin in 2023. The grant will also cover lighting expenses at the Activated Alley from Main Street to Pine Street. In addition, a mural will be commissioned for the Texas Viaduct bridge to serve as a welcome gateway to the downtown district.
Community Engagement & Parks Project Manager Keith Beason spoke to why grants like these are so important.
“We are very excited to receive continued support from Texas Commission on the Arts,” said Beason. “These projects will enhance our plans for our 150th celebration of Texarkana, USA and add even more reasons to visit downtown!”
The Texarkana Arts & Historic District is a collaborative regional marketing initiative focused on historic downtown Texarkana. District partners include Main Street Texarkana, Texarkana Symphony Orchestra, Texarkana Regional Arts & Humanities Council, Texarkana Museums System, Texarkana Chamber of Commerce, and the Cities of Texarkana, Texas, and Arkansas. To learn more, check out their website.