Press Release: Cardinal’s Massive 5,000 Square Foot Exterior Set to Become Atlantic City’s Latest Mural Canvas, in partnership with Atlantic City Arts Foundation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 6, 2023

Atlantic City, N.J. – Cardinal follows a simple rule: Make Memories. The soon-to-open Contemporary American restaurant in the Orange Loop aims to create a memorable impact on everyone who passes by, transforming the once gray exterior into a vibrant, dynamic, organic mural. The commissioned piece will be one of the largest murals in Atlantic City. Positioned to become an anchor mural for the Orange Loop, the work will be visible from the Boardwalk and surrounding properties including Resorts Casino Hotel, Bally’s Hotel & Casino, and the Claridge Hotel.

Chef Michael Brennan, executive chef and co-owner of Cardinal, shared, “We envision a mural that fuses art, nature, and industry, evoking qualities of an urban garden, seasonality, and a sustainable presence juxtaposed with the city’s concrete surroundings.”

The 5,000 square foot building wrap will reflect the progression of the seasons throughout the year with each face of the building dedicated to a season. As the first touchpoint for guests, the mural must be distinct and eye-catching, expressing and showcasing Cardinal’s vision while flowing seamlessly with the interior of the restaurant.

"Over the past several years ACAF has facilitated over 70 murals in Atlantic City and the mural at Cardinal will be one of our most significant projects to date. Investments in the arts and community by businesses like Cardinal further our vision of sustainable and thriving public art opportunities in our city," shared Kate O'Malley, interim executive director of ACAF.

The Atlantic City Arts Foundation is now accepting proposals for the forthcoming project – muralists from near and far are encouraged to apply. Visit acartsfoundation.org/cardinal to learn more. Applications will close on April 5, 2023, at 5 pm EST.

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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 largest mural arts program. ACAF 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. ACAF is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization.  

Learn more: atlanticcityartsfoundation.org | IG: @acartsfoundation | facebook.com/acartsfoundation

Cardinal is a Contemporary American restaurant serving globally influenced cuisine in a welcoming environment. Located in Atlantic City’s Orange Loop District and led by the family trio of Chef Michael and Thomas Brennan and Carl Fleck, Cardinal focuses on seasonal, sustainable, and responsibly sourced ingredients from New Jersey and surrounding areas with a commitment to elevated hospitality and community. Cardinal is located at 201 S. New York Avenue in Atlantic City, NJ.

Learn more: cardinal-ac.com | IG: @cardinal-restaurant | facebook.com/cardinalacnj

Press Release: AC Arts Foundation Launches Fundraising Campaign for Mural Honoring the Life and Legacy of Atlantic City-born Artist Jacob Lawrence.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 1, 2023

Atlantic City, N.J. – In honor of Black History Month, the Atlantic City Arts Foundation is working to bring Valeria Marcus' proposed Jacob Lawrence mural to life. Lawrence, hailed as a master storyteller, was born on September 7, 1917, in Atlantic City's Ward 3, where the Save-A-Lot now stands. Marcus, artist and Atlantic City resident, has also been working with the city to install a historical marker at Lawrence’s birth site.

In 2017, the City of Atlantic City passed Resolution 54 in recognition of Jacob Lawrence and his contribution to the art world. Honoring his legacy is meaningful to the Black community—Marcus shared “Jacob Lawrence was a genius and the first American artist to paint history. He grew up experiencing the struggles of racism and oppression among his people. And through his art, he was able to depict the daily struggles of African Americans.”

Lawrence created a body of work that comprehensively spoke about the African American experience. His esteemed 60-panel series, ‘Migration of the Negro,’ using tempera paints in an abstract storytelling style, depicted the millions of African Americans that migrated to the north from the Jim Crow era south for a better life. Atlantic City artist Kelley Prevard incorporated Lawrence’s motifs in her mural “Memory”, located at Atlantic Cape Community College’s Worthington Campus.

Fundraising for the mural project will continue throughout the month of February, alongside social content highlighting local Black artists and art in Atlantic City that represents Black history. The organization is aiming to raise $20,000 for the project, ensuring muralists and other contributors are paid equitably. The mural, if funded, will be included in the 2023 48 Blocks AC Mural Week in June, with artists selected through a juried application process.

Visit acartsfoundation.org/JLMural to contribute to the fundraiser. You may also contribute offline, checks payable to “Atlantic City Arts Foundation” may be mailed to PO Box 3, Atlantic City, NJ 08404.

For further information about Jacob Lawrence, visit jacobandgwenlawrence.org.                                                                                                 

Media Advisory: Atlantic City Arts Foundation to unveil the city’s first Augmented Reality Mural

“A Story of Floods” Mural Highlights Partnership with NJ Coastal Resiliency Art Program to Educate Community on Coastal Hazard Impacts 

For immediate release:
November 22, 2022 

(Atlantic City, NJ) – On Wednesday, December 7 at 11 am the Atlantic City Arts Foundation (ACAF) will unveil “A Story of Floods,” the city’s first augmented reality mural, developed for the NJ Coastal Resiliency Art Program to bring awareness to coastal climate risk and resilience.

WHO:

Kate O’Malley, Interim Executive Director, ACAF
Jill Fermonte, Community Engagement Coordinator, ACAF
Elizabeth Terenik, Board Secretary, ACAF & President, Chelsea EDC
Kaira Villanueva, Lead Artist
Dr. Aigner Holmes, COO, Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City (BGCAC)
Sydney Perkins, Director of Resource Development, BGCAC
Devon Blair, Bureau of Climate Resilience Planning, NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Danielle Bursk, Director of Artist Services, NJ State Council on the Arts

WHEN:

Wednesday, December 7, 11 am

WHERE:

Chelsea Club, Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City
215 N. Sovereign Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ 08401

The Atlantic City Arts Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to increasing public art access and fostering community art education in Atlantic City, NJ. ACAF develops programs that promote arts-based tourism and economic development initiatives while increasing community pride and civic self-esteem. Programs include 48 Blocks Atlantic City, Chalk About AC and ARTeriors. www.atlanticcityartsfoundation.org/

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