Full Notification

The Lake County Arts Council, in collaboration with the City of Lakeport, Lake County Rural Arts Initiative and the Lake Family Resource Center, is planning the installation of a mural in downtown Lakeport to honor essential workers.  The Meals on Wheels Thrift Store at 120 N. Main Street has been selected for its prominent location with a large wall facing First Street.
 
“The COVID pandemic has hit our community hard in so many ways since March 2020,” according to Lakeport Mayor Pro Tem Mireya Turner, a leader in the effort to express appreciation for the service, strength and fortitude of our local essential workers.
 
“Some of us were able to shelter in place, while others could not do so because we depended on them to keep our economy and community moving.  Many of us left home every day to keep our supermarkets open, our gas stations operating, to treat our sick, make deliveries, and harvest our gardens, orchards and vineyards.
 
“As we return to a sense of normalcy, now is the perfect time for our community to come together and express gratitude to our residents who have given so much of themselves to get us all through this pandemic,” Turner urged.
 
Barbara Clark, executive director of the Lake County Arts Council, announced an award of $8,000 to cover an artist’s labor and materials will be made available through a competitive process.  A call for artists to submit proposals will be published and distributed locally and outside Lake County.  The selection of an artist or artists will be made by March 1 with mural completion expected by May 1.
 
As part of the selection process, local essential workers will be able to vote for their favorite from among the qualified proposals.  Artists will be encouraged to be creative and submit works that are inspiring to the entire community.
 
“We are calling on our community to financially support this mural project to recognize our friends, neighbors and family members who, through their actions, kept us strong through the pandemic,” stated Clark.  “All funds collected will be used for the mural and related expenses.  When the $8,000 goal has been reached, the donation button will be removed from the Arts Council’s website.  Any excess funds will be retained for the next public mural project.”
 
“Help us thank the police officers, the firefighters, the doctors and nurses and health care professionals, the people who kept food on our tables and gas in our cars; help us show all these essential workers and others how much we appreciate them and their service,” said Clark.
 
More information about the essential workers mural project is available from Clark at [email protected] or (707) 263-6658.  Donations may be made online through the Lake County Arts Council, https://lakearts.org/joingive/donate/.