Rockwell holding design contest for third mural
Published 12:00 am Sunday, January 7, 2024
The first mural that the town of Rockwell had painted is placed on the side of the Rockwell Museum.
The second mural that the town of Rockwell had painted is on the side of the Used Appliance Center on Depot Street.
Alderman Dillon Brewer said the canvas for the third mural will be the side of Dimensions Dance Center on Main Street.
ROCKWELL — The town of Rockwell is reopening the contest for the town’s third mural, this time with a $500 reward promised to the person whose design wins.
The town had previously asked for designs early last year, but Alderman Dillon Brewer said that they only received two designs so they decided to hold off on committing to a winner then. In an effort to remedy the lack of submissions, the town is now offering a cash reward. Brewer said that he also reached out to Catawba and Livingstone colleges and asked them to ask their design and art students to join in on the competition.
The third mural is planned for the side of Dimensions Dance Studio at 107 W. Main St., one block down from Rockwell Town Hall.
The first mural was painted onto the side of the Rockwell Museum, just across the street from town hall. There, drivers coming west on Highway 52 are greeted by a large green painting saying “Welcome to the town of Rockwell.”
The second mural was painted onto the side of the Used Appliance Center on Depot Street. That mural reads “Greetings from Rockwell” and the word Rockwell is filled with local symbols, such as the memorial gazebo, the East Rowan Mustangs logo and the town’s eponymous rock well.
Brewer said that the three locations were chosen in order to best cover the Highway 52 entrances into the town. He said that the town considered a future contest to place a fourth mural on the old Cannon Mills property, but they instead chose to keep it open for future economic development.
The Rockwell Revitalization Committee will oversee the competition. Brewer said the committee will stop accepting submissions on Feb. 5, at which point, he will organize the submissions and present them to the committee. Then, the committee will choose the winner and present them to the Rockwell Board of Aldermen during its next meeting the following week.
Anyone who wishes to participate in the contest is asked to fill out a form on the town’s Facebook page. Anyone looking for more information or the town’s logo in a vector format can email Brewer at dillon.brewer@rockwellnc.gov.
