PRESS RELEASE: Atlantic City Arts Foundation Announces Milestone Mural By Renowned Muralist Mona Caron

Atlantic City Arts Foundation Announces Milestone Mural By Renowned Muralist Mona Caron

The organization’s 100th and city’s largest mural will commence in April 2024

Press Release - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Atlantic City, NJ  – Feb. 26, 2024 – The Atlantic City Arts Foundation, along with presenting sponsor ThriveAC Fund and partner Create 48, today announced renowned Swiss-American artist Mona Caron will paint the largest mural in Atlantic City, commencing in April 2024. Located at The Atlantic, the 19-story mural will be the organization’s 100th mural, and become the largest mural in the city. Part of Caron’s WEEDS project, the mural will incorporate flora native to Atlantic City, narrating themes of resilience, renewal, and perseverance.

“My WEEDS project is a tribute to resilience against all odds. I paint spontaneously occurring wild plants, native or non-native, and paint them big, at a scale inversely proportional to the attention and regard they get. It’s a metaphoric salute to the struggle of authentic grassroots communities, and it’s a reminder that we need to shift Nature’s ranking in our priorities," said Caron.

The 2024 mural, set to be unveiled at the 48 Blocks Atlantic City festival in June, represents a significant milestone in Atlantic City’s cultural landscape. The installation, which is scheduled to commence at the end of April, will involve a six-week collaborative effort between Caron and four assistant muralists, including Charles Barbin and Randi Meekins-Barbin, co-owners of Dunes Gallery in Brigantine and creators of several notable murals in Atlantic City, Jenna Morello, a multi-disciplinary artist from Brooklyn, and Morello’s assistant, Baran Duzgan.

“This is a watershed moment for the arts in Atlantic City,” shared Monica Casiello, Board President of the Atlantic City Arts Foundation. “What better city than Atlantic City to be graced with Mona Caron’s art? Her work proclaims resilience. Atlantic City is nothing if not resilient.”

As the leading public arts organization in Atlantic City, the Atlantic City Arts Foundation has played a pivotal role in transforming the city's landscape through public art. Their mural initiative began in 2017 with only enough funding for paint and supplies; the original artists donated their time. The program has since flourished, culminating in the installation of 96 impactful murals; 80 are still on view, transforming Atlantic City's 17.2 square miles into a vibrant outdoor gallery.

“This project is the result of years of work by our team, volunteers, community members, and artists to build a thriving arts community in Atlantic City,” said Kate O’Malley, Executive Director of the Atlantic City Arts Foundation. “We’ve seen firsthand that murals not only beautify our city, but also boost community pride, drive economic development, and attract tourism. Mona Caron’s mural will further highlight Atlantic City as a destination for arts and culture.”

The 100th mural project is made possible through the support of ThriveAC Fund, the Atlantic, Casiello Philanthropic Foundation and Inlet CDC. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, contact kate@acartsfoundation.org.

For more information about the Atlantic City Arts Foundation visit https://atlanticcityartsfoundation.org/

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About the Atlantic City Arts Foundation

The Atlantic City Arts Foundation’s diverse programs & partnerships activate community pride & civic self-esteem through interaction with public art, including the city’s leading and largest mural arts program. The organization is dedicated to increasing public art access and fostering community art appreciation in Atlantic City, NJ. Programs include 48 Blocks Atlantic City, Chalk About AC, and ARTeriors. The Atlantic City Arts Foundation is a 501(c)3 public arts nonprofit organization. www.atlanticcityartsfoundation.org/ 

Media Contact

Kate O’Malley
kate@atlanticcityartsfoundation.org
(856) 217-1823

PRESS RELEASE: $248K Awarded to Atlantic City Arts Foundation for Mural Restoration, Public Arts Promotion in Atlantic City

$248K Awarded to Atlantic City Arts Foundation for Mural Restoration, Public Arts Promotion in Atlantic City

Press Release - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 30, 2024

“Close Encounters” by Charles Barbin, slated for restoration in 2024. Photo: Ray Nunzi, 2018.

The Atlantic City Arts Foundation has been the driving force behind mural art in Atlantic City since 2017. The public arts nonprofit has created 96 murals, with 80 still intact, throughout the 48 blocks of the city. In 2024, a $248,700 NJEDA grant awarded to the organization will support further promotion and restoration of these important cultural assets.

The Public Space Activation Grant is made possible through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s (NJEDA) Activation, Revitalization and Transformation (A.R.T.) program, designed to reactivate and revitalize Atlantic City and Newark in the wake of COVID-19.

“Atlantic City thrives on tourism, and the ART Program will ensure some of our most popular sites will be around for years to come for our millions of visitors annually to enjoy,” said City of Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr.

The Atlantic City Arts Foundation, set to surpass 100 murals created in 2024, will leverage the funding to maintain, expand, and promote the city’s cultural assets:

• Restoration of 5 murals, damaged by time and weather, by the original artists.

• Creation of 3 new murals to replace lost murals.

• Signage installed on Adirondack chairs and planter boxes and the addition of these assets to our public arts map.

• Building organizational capacity by hiring interns and additional contractors.

• Performing an independent audit of the organization’s financial records to demonstrate financial transparency and meet application requirements of federal grant funding.

• Refining the organization’s brand identity and marketing strategy to attract sustainable, long-term funding and tourism.

• Developing a new website and virtual public art map, creating a more intuitive, interactive, and informative experience for visitors.

• Purchasing a van and lift to ease mural facilitation.

“As the premier public arts organization in Atlantic City, it’s crucial to foster a culture of restoration, repair, and protection of our cultural assets alongside their expansion. The NJEDA grant allows our organization to lead this initiative while we build the capacity to broaden our reach, fundraising, and impact,” said Atlantic City Arts Foundation Executive Director Kate O’Malley.

Through a collaborative partnership with Stockton University, Ducktown CDC, Chelsea EDC, Midtown CDC, and Inlet CDC, funded by the university’s NJEDA grant, signage will be placed at the organization’s 80 murals.

“Fostering an appreciation for Atlantic City’s heritage, its murals and public space requires investment and collaboration. This grant program gives communities an opportunity to shine and share their stories. It also strengthens Atlantic City’s ability to succeed, because it recognizes the importance of all of the city’s unique assets and offerings,” said Assemblywoman Claire Swift (R-Atlantic).

The A.R.T. program utilizes American Rescue Plan State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds in the wake of the pandemic.

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The Atlantic City Arts Foundation’s diverse programs & partnerships activate community pride & civic self-esteem through interaction with public art, including the city’s leading and largest mural arts program. The organization is dedicated to increasing public art access and fostering community art appreciation in Atlantic City, NJ. Programs include 48 Blocks Atlantic City, Chalk About AC, and ARTeriors. The Atlantic City Arts Foundation is a 501(c)3 public arts nonprofit organization. www.atlanticcityartsfoundation.org/