Public invited to unveiling event at June First Fridays
Residents and visitors will be able to see the new Storm Drain Art Project throughout the City now that the project is underway.
An unveiling event, to which the public is cordially invited, will take place at 6:30 p.m. June 7 at the courthouse during First Fridays.
Ten designs were selected early spring and the locations have been assigned. The artists awarded are all local to Elkhart County, including a delegation of artists from local nonprofit ADEC. The artists selected were the following:
- Rachel Weaver
- Katelyn Pedler
- Katelyn Conley
- Rachel Neff
- Holly Hathaway
- ADEC, Inc.
- Jessica King
- Katarina Antal
- Heather Potsander
- Tavi Mounsithiraj and Dteban Mounsithiraj
The selection committee was composed of City staff, elected officials and local artists. They were:
- David Kendall, local artists and professor at Goshen College
- Jama Brookmeyer Graber, Art Teacher at Waterford Elementary School
- David Gibbs, Goshen Street Commissioner
- Jeremy Stutsman, Mayor of Goshen
- Amy Worsham, Arts Coordinator, Goshen Arts Council
- Felix Perez Diener, Goshen City Council Youth Advisor
- Theresa Sailor, My Community My Water
- Michelle Kercher, My Community My Water
- Jason Kauffman, Goshen Stormwater Coordinator
Several of the artists have already begun painting their storm drain art murals and a few are already done. The murals are expected to be completed by mid-June, weather permitting.
Jason Kauffman, Stormwater Coordinator, said stormwater is the only growing source of water pollution in the country, and most storm drains flow directly to a waterway untreated.
“By drawing attention to storm drains with art, my hope is more people will make a connection between storm drains and our local waterways, which are a resource worth protecting,” he said. “By way of this connection, people will then make a more deliberate effort to keep potential pollutants like trash, grass clippings, and pet waste from coming into contact with stormwater, thus improving the water quality of our local waterways.”
This project is made possible thanks to help from My Community My Water LLC, the generosity of local businesses and community members, and the time and effort of local artists.
A map listing all the locations of the drain art works can be found at mycommunitymywater.com/art-in-the-city-of-goshen.