News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Cookeville Junior Woman’s Club is partnering with the Cookeville Art Studio and Gallery to host an Art Walk around the city’s downtown.
Arts and Culture Chairperson Tish Seidler said the event, which begins Saturday, is a two-mile guided walk starting at the art studio that shows off twenty murals featured along Spring Street, Cedar Avenue, and Broad Street. Seidler said the event will benefit citizens and the local businesses along the path at the same time.
“So this not only gives people family time together or just a leisurely stroll where you can stop and you can get a cup of coffee, you can have a pizza, you can – you can visit some of the boutiques, they’ve – they’ve donated,” Seidler said. “But you can support your small businesses. That’s what keeps this little town alive.”
Seidler said participants will have hints to help them find each mural, and an entry form that they can fill out as they locate the murals and turn in for a prize. She said many local businesses have supported the event by donating prizes.
“We probably have about thirty-five different prizes, along with some art,” Seidler said. “So the art will be featured over at the Cookeville Art Studio.”
Seidler said there is also a shorter kid’s version of the walk with fewer locations to visit and its own prize pool.
“Sam’s and Walmart have to come to us with water toys,” Seidler said. “We’ve got Slice Pizza. We’ve got the bowling alley. Some kid’s art classes and kid’s art supplies, so a lot of fun stuff for the kids, too.”
Seidler said there is a total of twenty-two pieces featured on the walk, as a couple of sculptures are included in the event.
“If you walk down the historic part of, or the West End is what they’re calling it in Cookeville, you’ll see random murals,” Seidler said. “You see them on the side of some of the buildings, and they’re spread out throughout that district. And then you kind of swing around to what they’re calling now the arts district where some of the galleries are, where the Cookeville Art Studio is, and that’s a growing area as well. They’ve had a lot of pop-up events over there. So we’re trying to make sure we cover them all.”
Seidler said the event could become a driving guided tour if there is enough enthusiasm and involvement. Seidler said the event starts on May 18 and lasts until May 27.
