FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) – Arts United has announced the recipient of the 2024 Mayor’s Arts Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to the arts and culture of Fort Wayne. This year, the honor goes to Clean Drains Fort Wayne: Be River SmART, an initiative that merges environmental consciousness with artistic expression.
The project between Friends of the Rivers and Fort Wayne City Utilities utilized sidewalk murals and storm drain medallions to promote clean rivers. The initiative also engaged 7,000 students through unique storytelling by the Dumpster Drummers.
The culmination of the Be River SmART project was the unveiling of the legacy mural titled “Protect our Rivers,” designed by Alex Hall. The mural, dedicated on September 23, 2023, during the Clean Drains Riverfest event at Promenade Park, served as a symbolic celebration of the initiative’s success and the community’s commitment to preserving its natural resources.
Mayor Tom Henry said, “It’s a highlight of mine each year to choose the recipient of the Mayor’s Arts Award in partnership with Arts United. Our attention to the importance of arts and culture is vital to the identity of our community. It says a lot about who we are and where we’re going.”
Clean Drains Fort Wayne: Be River SmART will be formally honored with the Mayor’s Arts Award at the upcoming 2024 Arts United Awards, presented by Frosty Pictures. The ceremony, scheduled for March 20, 2024, will also pay tribute to Jody Hemphill Smith with the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award.
