The Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce is preparing to host a Walldogs mural painting event in June.
The Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce is preparing to host a Walldogs mural painting event in June.
The Walldogs, a cadre of artists, will soon descend on Marshall as the Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce sponsors the International Mural Painting Event from June 22 to 26, complete with entertainment, crafts vendors, food and family fun.
Over 150 volunteer painters will visit town, receiving housing and meals in exchange for their talents as they collaborate on 16 murals depicting community history. Downtown visitors will observe scaffolding and all manner of equipment as the crews set up; the event is subtitled “From Here to Eternity” to recognize the novel penned by author James Jones at the Handy Writers' Colony, which he founded in Marshall in 1950.
Walldogs was a term used to describe sign painters at the turn of the 20th century, who often painted advertising signs on business building and barn walls. The Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce has been working to bring The Walldogs to Marshall for over four years, according to Jennifer Bishop, the chamber's executive director.
The five-day event will cost close to $90,000. The chamber has succeeded in fundraising necessary support via community events, corporate and family sponsors.
Locally, the Gas Light Art Colony is handling the coordination of festival attractions, featuring music, kids’ activities and more. The event will kick off with a welcome dinner for the artists and sponsors on June 22.
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