The Fargo Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA) has been awarded the Greeting Tour 2021 Community Mural Grant.
The Greetings Tour is a cross-country mural project creating iconic landmarks through public art. The project, by muralist Victor Ving and photographer Lisa Beggs, began in 2015 and includes communities across the United States. DNA chose the Roberts Street facing wall on the Dakotah Pioneer Center at the corner of 1st Avenue N and Roberts Street in downtown Fargo.
The grant from Ving and Beggs covers their time, travel, and materials and features murals with large block letters in a postcard design up to 350 square feet to create a piece of community public art. Before they create their mural, they work directly with DNA Board to choose images that capture the spirit of the region to incorporate. Ving and Beggs also collaborate with a local artist who will use their talents on one of the letters. The DNA Board has chosen Artist Anna Johnson to do this collaboration with Ving and Beggs.
This mural project will connect Fargo to communities across the US with the same goal, celebrating community art and increasing visitor traffic. The schedule for creating the mural is June 21-27, 2021. There is a Completion Celebration scheduled for June 27, 2021, from 12 pm-2 pm. Folkways is graciously donating their time and necessary items for the Completion Celebration. There will be food trucks and beverages from Front Street available for purchase.
The mural project builds a sense of hometown pride as well as a landmark. Ving and Beggs launched the yearly mural grant, gifting one of their murals to organizations that have a positive impact in their local communities. Fargo and the DNA are the first recipients of the grant.
For more information visit The Greetings Tour https://www.greetingstour.com/.