ParkArt Progress

The Spencer Area Arts Council, (SAAC) has been awarded the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant "Artists & Communities: America Creates for the Millennium." The grant provides salaries for Iowa's artists in residency located in Spencer to create art reflecting our community and state.

This award is significant in several respects:

• This is the first time NEA has funded a nationwide project.

• Spencer is the only city in the state of Iowa to be involved in this national artistic incentive.

• This project will be documented, catalogued, and included in a permanent NEA national volume.

Local financial responsibility includes artist housing, local transportation and all materials and work space necessary for constructing ParkArt 2000.

To meet the project budget of over $80,000, ParkArt is pursuing funding from government agencies and national and regional business community members. ParkArt invites you to join with the community in helping to raise funds necessary to complete this monumental area project.

Over 200 people placed a vinyl "tile" on one of the mosaic sign letters which were taken to City Hall, Spencer Public Library, the Senior Center, coffee shops, Head Start, and other locations. This sign marks the location of the future monument.

At the Spencer Public Library	One set of ParkArt mosaic letters - in progress
Iowa Governor Vilsack applying a "tile"	Iowa Governor Vilsack with an "A"
The completed sign is two-sided (in a V shape).	This sign marks the location of the future monument.

If you have questions about this project, contact the ParkArt Coordinator, Judy Hemphill, phone 712-260-1373 or at hemphill@nwiowa.com.