Page 9 - Dunwoody NCG 2022_Flipbook

Alan Mothner
CEO, Spruill Center for the Arts
Carol Niemi, PhD
Vice President of Marketing
The Dunwoody Preservation Trust With Dunwoody only being a
city since 2008, how have the
arts contributed to building
How has history informed the city’s identity?
and shaped the arts community
in Dunwoody?
Dunwoody as a city has long focused on the arts, culture,
and placemaking in its planning efforts. With the recent
Art depicts individual artists’ vision of their world at
a particular time in history. An example of this in passage of the Public Art Master Plan and the formation
Dunwoody was the sign painted on a shed behind the of the Dunwoody Arts Commission this past year, we are
Spruill Gallery after the historic 1998 tornado. On a beginning to see the fruits of that labor blossom across the
simple white background in all-cap black letters was city. The arts are uniquely positioned to capture the zeitgeist
a message so powerful it was for years reproduced in of a community and reflect the cultural values and ideas
posters, yard signs, and refrigerator magnets. In 2020, that make Dunwoody a special place to live, work, and play.
it was resurrected as yard signs sold for charity. The Organizations like Spruill, CREATE Dunwoody, and other
message was universal: “EVERYTHING WILL BE OK.” arts-based nonprofits are key to this ongoing dialogue and
help to weave together the cultural fabric of our community.
In today’s chaotic environment, art speaks where words are
unable to explain, and help us all to define what it means
to be a part of our growing hometown.
Allison Cash
Production Manager
Stage Door Players
Frances Schube
What makes the Organizer, Dunwoody Arts Festival/
performing arts in Splash Festivals
Dunwoody special? Aside from your own event, what is
your favorite thing about the arts
The performing arts in Dunwoody are special because so many
people from around Atlanta get to come together and create scene in Dunwoody and why?
something special. We come from all walks of life and have so many The City of Dunwoody is morphing into a place
differences, but in the theater, we have one common goal. I think it’s where citizens and visitors can enjoy fun art
beautiful for us to all be able to come together and create magic. exhibits, creative indoor and outdoor art de-
signs, and colorful events throughout the year.
The artists who participate in the Dunwoody Art
Festival also comment that the shoppers are
How do the arts contribute to the identity of Dunwoody? the most energetic and welcoming – and sales
are extremely brisk during the Mother’s Day
The visual arts play a vital role in the life of Dunwoody. With the strong support weekend show. I have lived in Dunwoody for
of local businesses and the city government, artists both live and work in more than 30 years, and I can definitely feel the
Dunwoody and exhibit their work in multiple settings. The Dunwoody Fine Art artistic magic that is happening around the city.
Association is one of several arts-related organizations in the community. The
DFAA helps coordinate and support exhibits at private and public venues through
open calls for art, painting murals and the picnic tables near restaurants,
rotating art exhibits on the walls of many offices. In Brook Run Park, DFAA
artists are responsible for murals at the skate park, the decorated tank in the
community garden, and sculptures that are beginning to appear around the
park. As an ongoing project, DFAA provides art supplies and programming to
children in need. DFAA is a regionally recognized arts organization.
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