Midtown Row Partners with College of William & Mary on Mural Project
March 24, 2021
We are thrilled to announce that murals are coming to Williamsburg!
Midtown Row, the College of William & Mary, City of Williamsburg, Augmented Island Studios, IIC, and Eric Skotnes have partnered to create the Immersive Conservation Mural Pitch Competition.
William & Mary students have been invited to work in teams to pitch an idea for a mural & augmented reality experience that will inspire the Williamsburg community to take action to conserve the environment. The winning team will win a $300 cash prize and an opportunity to implement the mural in the Fall. With Midtown Row, we have selected two blank walls on original buildings to act as “canvasses” for the art installations.
Executive Director of the Institute for Integrative Learning (IIC), Robert Rose explains, “I think this mural also provides an opportunity for the Williamsburg community to come together to share a unique experience. W&M students will be developing innovative concepts for these murals and will then work with members of the Williamsburg community to implement this mural and augmented reality experience. This really is a community effort.”
Mr. Rose goes on to explain, “Art and technology have the unique ability to build connections and to inspire us to think about the world differently. This mural and corresponding augmented reality experience will provide an opportunity for the Williamsburg community to engage with nature in a unique and exciting way. It will also help us think about the role that we can play in the conservation of our local and global ecosystems and things we can do in our day-to-day lives to contribute to the conservation of important ecosystems and the benefits they provide us all.”
Williamsburg City Council Member and William & Mary Alumni, Caleb Rogers said, “Murals, and all forms of public art, are critical to the tourism product of an area. They promote vibrancy and frequently serve as destinations to visit and snap a picture by. This is why it is so exciting that Midtown will be the home of Williamsburg’s first mural, and that William & Mary students will be the designers! This partnership will soon bring a much-needed asset into our city, particularly in an exciting and newly developed area.”
For our part, we are thrilled to provide a home for these buddings artists to showcase their designs and look forward to future collaborations with artists on other murals throughout the project.
Stay tuned for more information on this exciting community project!
