SCAD SERVE recently debuted the Paint Our Parks (POP) public art initiative with the unveiling of a brilliant 100 x 100 feet mural enlivening the basketball courts at Arthur Langford, Jr. Park in the Joyland neighborhood of southeast Atlanta. This public arts beautification project was developed in partnership with and supported by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Parks and Recreation. The City of Atlanta and Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs would like to thank the Savannah College of Art, their students, community volunteers, alumni, and the mural designer Emily Eldridge for providing this terrific addition of public art to the Joyland Park neighborhood. The creation of this collaborative SCAD SERVE POP mural took place during the city of Atlanta’s Elevate public arts festival, a community-wide celebration of the arts, illustrating the university’s commitment to advancing the arts and education in Atlanta. SCAD SERVE Alumni Ambassador and acclaimed muralist, illustrator, and graphic designer Emily Eldridge led a team of over 40 SCAD students, alumni, faculty, staff, representatives from the City of Atlanta, and a group of enthusiastic Joyland community volunteers, in the creation of this park mural.
Public Art Program Manager Robert Witherspoon stated, “This SCAD Serve mural project is a notable example of how the addition of public art to the surface of a basketball court can strengthen communities, improve park safety, and inspire kids and adults to think positively about their environment. A great City deserves great public art and our partners at the Savannah College of Art understand that and their talented students and alumni created this wonderful mural that will inspire kids and encourage healthy lifestyles. By creating a mural on a ballcourt, it is accessible to all”.
After all this success, SCAD SERVE will continue to work in partnership with Atlanta city leadership and the Department of Parks and Recreation to identify deserving public spaces for this continued Paint Our Parks mural initiative.