Forward Warrior may overwhelm & amaze audiences in both breadth of its physical presence and the depth of its meaning. Aiming for maximum impact on the audience, at times the process is subtle; at others, a psychic onslaught of forceful images and ideas.
Impact – Evaluation
Impact
Meaningful dialogue between public art and the community can be facilitated by including a variety of voices. We would like to think our impact on Atlanta’s cultural community is a positive contribution towards growth, education, and inspiration / motivation. Of course, there is also an admirable level of technical proficiency and pure creativity that we hope raises the bar for the arts community in general.
Forward Warrior Mural Project extends its influence from the personal to local and perhaps regional impact. There are factors which are significant to the artists themselves, relevance for the community in which the murals exist, and considerations of consequence for the city and larger metro region. As a launch pad for emerging artists, we can hope many lives feel the positive effects of the nurturing environment our participants create for each other when they team up on a large-scale collaborative installation.
The personal evaluations that take place as painters work in peer groups can be likened to a student-studio environment, especially for those who are not privileged to afford or attend art school. Free from restrictions, but held to a high standard by their colleagues, participants gain invaluable insights into their individual work, such as its ability to exist in context, or personal limitations with respect to speed or environmental conditions. In these ways, Forward Warrior models settings where young creatives can test their limits and organize with like-minded persons.
Benefits for the Cabbagetown & Reynoldstown neighborhoods may be considered as both an extension of the participant’s primary sense of ownership, and the first layer of critique. There is also an undeniable sense of pride, and an inescapable self-identification with the value systems illustrated by more thoughtful and thought-provoking pieces. As positive messages abound, nearby residents internalize some of the work, and can aspire to become the best of the hopeful messaging. When a mural asks a question or demands active participation, it is first those for whom the wall is their daily landscape that become the new acolytes of the artist’s better attitudes, and disciples of the sublime or surreal mantras that surround them.
People live here. They live with murals and among messages. Some of them look out their windows and hear the call to “Support Your Sisters”, or “Keep your vision focused on your higher power”, or simply, “Make it suck less.”
Those to whom the murals speak have evolved into proud patrons and strong supporters of our city’s art scene, and it is this immersion that extends also to pedestrians, joggers, and cyclists who would otherwise cruise by at a somewhat faster pace. During the early days of the COVID quarantine, we watched as these same, previously active, frantically exercising, or rapidly travelling purposeful people made a stop. They lingered and absorbed the work. Maybe because the entire world took a moment to pause, or because all other galleries and museums were shut. But the wall was waiting there to be discovered.
In tough times, we would like to think the open-air gallery offers refuge, or silent sanctuary in a hectic city. It is worth noting that many sections of the Atlanta Beltline traverse industrial areas, or new construction, massive redevelopments with many commercial amenities and towering condos. However, Wylie Street is a residential road, where Eastside Trail travelers enter an historical residential community that’s been bustling for a century, a street level homey vibe fringed by poignant paintings and a carnival of colorful street art.
For the city itself, Cabbagetown plays an important role in public art. With a handful of pocket parks in addition to the Forward Warrior installation, the local contribution represents approximately 15% of Atlanta’s 1000 murals! With the attached Krog Street tunnel, a haven for serious graffiti writers, pop-up pieces, and OTP tourists tinkering with toys, this is one of the few areas where a symbiosis exists between spontaneous street art and curated compositions. The murals and the tags together tell a story that many of Atlanta’s communities share: constantly creating cultural experiences of their own.
Evaluation
We measure attendance and social media traffic, as well as press coverage and fundraising goals. The amount of inquiries from artists, and returning painters who come back to participate every year, is another indication that helps us assess whether or not we are a positive impact on the community.
Our ability to secure donations and sponsorships, as well as the continued support of the Cabbagetown neighborhood organizations and private residents, are reassuring. Support from our City Councilmember, and local business owners, help convince us to continue. Robust volunteerism and boosterism from participating artists are also encouraging.
Ultimately, the true success of Forward Warrior is perhaps not entirely quantifiable except by seeing increasing public support, and through collecting anecdotes and testimonials, even simply photographs of people smiling at a grand spectacle celebrating humanity’s tenacious spirit. Every day we walk past the wall, there are groups of visitors posing in front of their favorite pieces, and we hope to create an enduring touchstone.
That said, public support has been generous, private donations are increasing, critical response is enthusiastic, corporate interest (for better or worse) is percolating, and our numbers are looking good. We hope others evaluate our success with similar optimism.
