New Castle Plans for a Mural in Public Space in Downtown Chappaqua
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New Castle’s Arts & Culture Committee is moving forward to have a local artist paint a mural in one of two locations by early this fall to help enliven downtown Chappaqua with public art.
The initiative, which was discussed before the Town Board in July, is expected to promote the local community.
“We wanted something very colorful and vibrant and the theme of community,” said Joan Schildkraut, co-chair of the town’s Arts & Culture Committee, during the discussion with the board last month. “We want people, the kids to go there and take your selfie in front of it. We want it to be great, cheerful, something you look at and smile.”
Councilwoman Jennifer Klein, the Town Board liaison to the committee, said two locations are being considered – either a blank wall at Petticoat Lane at 66 King St., which is on private property, or under the Route 120 bridge. The town has jurisdiction over that area; however, the wall would need to be prepped in order to have a mural painted on it, she said.
The committee attracted submissions from eight area artists to submit a proposal to be considered for the mural, Klein said. No decisions have been made as of last week, in part due to the board and the committee meeting less frequently during the summer.
In July, the Town Board approved a $3,000 expense to pay for the project.
“There are at least two artists who we are feeling very strongly about, but since we haven’t communicated with any of the artists yet, and there are some hard approval processes we still have yet to go through between the Arts & Culture Committee and the Town Board, it’s still in process,” Klein said.
When the committee presented its idea to the board earlier this summer, the original goal was to have the mural ready in time for Community Day on Sept. 14. While an unveiling on that day will not materialize, the hope is it can be completed in time for the day of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival two weeks later.
If the mural isn’t ready for the day of the book festival, the town will schedule another date and make a special event out of it, Klein said.
Supervisor Victoria Tipp said last month that a downtown mural would be a boost for the town, particularly if it included the theme of community.
“I think it’s very, very exciting. I think it’s fabulous and I can’t wait to see what progresses,” Tipp said.
Town officials have been considering public art for at least a few years. Previously, there had been some consideration about contracting with a global nonprofit organization to bring in artists from around the world to work on various spaces in town. However, that idea wasn’t pursued because of the expense and some uneasiness about the themes that artists from outside the area might express in their work.
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