Get Inspired! Inspirations Trail Art to be on Display through July 31

 

This year, 2020 was going to be the inaugural year for the Livingston County Inspirations Trail, but like many other events this year, the trail had to be postponed. This 90-mile self-guided art tour through Livingston County’s nine downtown districts planned to showcase more than 100 works of art, designed by local artists and incorporating inspirational words, in storefront windows.

“The idea behind displaying the art in downtown businesses was to help drive traffic to our Main Streets to support our small businesses,” stated Louise Wadsworth, Livingston County’s Downtown Coordinator and trail organizer. “Sending people into our communities while our businesses were shut down would have defeated the entire purpose.”

Additionally, there was the issue of getting all the artwork during the pandemic. Wadsworth was working with the high school art teachers at seven local districts as well as SUNY Geneseo where students were going to be creating more than 30 works of art. When the schools closed, these pieces were all put on hold.

The inaugural Inspirations Trail has now been rescheduled for May of 2021, but in an attempt to garner interest and participation from additional artists and businesses, a Sidewalk Showcase will be set up through July 31 allowing viewers to see samples of completed art work on display in storefront windows.

“This is sort of a scaled-back sneak preview,” said Wadsworth. “I believe that displaying some of the completed artwork will generate more interest in the May 2021 trail. I want people to see that anyone can be an artist! I hope to recruit more people to create works for the May trail, and more businesses to sign up to display the art. With some of our businesses starting to reopen, this July event will encourage people to visit our Main Streets and will also spread some positive and encouraging messages of inspiration, which I think everyone could use right now.”

This is the first time an art trail of this scope has been attempted in Livingston County and is part of a comprehensive initiative by Livingston County Economic Development to bring public art to the downtowns.  Eventually the trail will include permanent pieces such as murals and sculptures. The villages of Mount Morris and Nunda have already completed murals that will be part of this inaugural trail and the villages of Avon and Livonia are in the planning stages for future murals.

Pieces that are on display through July 31 will then be collected, stored, and displayed again next May, along with many more new pieces. Following the May 2021 Inspirations Trail, all works will be available for sale. If you are interested in creating artwork to be displayed during the May 2021 Inspirations Trail, please visit

https://inspirationstrail.com/for-artists

Downtown businesses with a display window can host artwork and be promoted as a stop on the trail by sponsoring the May 2021 Inspirations Trail for $25. All business registrations received to date are being transferred to the new May 2021 dates. Any businesses that have not yet registered and wish to should visit

https://inspirationstrail.com/for-businesses

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