NRDC to host public art Town Hall

TICONDEROGA | In preparation for their second "Walls Between Waters" mural festival, North Country Rural Development Coalition (NRDC) will once again be hosting a public art town hall on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 6 p.m. at Ti Arts Downtown Gallery. The goal of the town hall will be to encourage the public to share their opinions for the upcoming festival, expressing their desires on the type of art they would like to see next come to Ticonderoga. "The goal is to co-create the next phase of public art with the community. Public art is not cosmetic — it is an evidence-based economic development tool that strengthens small towns," expressed NRDC and Essex County Landbank President & CEO Nicole Justice Green. "We want the public to understand that Ticonderoga's public art program is part of a long-term revitalization strategy, not just individual murals." According to Green, national research shows that public art increases foot traffic and local spending, improves community identity and pride (especially in rural communities), and supports local businesses by drawing visitors and extending the amount of time they remain in town. Americans for the Arts reports murals and installations increase visitor spending by 20–30% in small arts districts, as well as finding public art also generates repeat visitation with 72% of mural tourists revisiting districts for dining/shopping that have public art, and a PPS report revealed that murals also increase "walkability perception," which directly increases local spending. Led by art consultant Alex Hall of A H Public Spaces Consulting LLC (who oversaw the last mural project in the downtown), the town hall session will be looking to encourage residents to share themes they would like represented in the next festival, and any other related perspectives. "The January Public Art Town Hall is intentionally a listening-first session," Green explained. "Research on successful municipal arts planning shows that early community buy-in increases long-term success. Alex will share examples of what other rural communities have done, but we will not present predetermined designs. We want direction from residents, businesses, youth, seniors, and local creatives before shaping the 2025 public art plan." A wide range of public art forms that have been successful in other small communities will be explored, including sculptures and 3-D installations, decorative lighting installations and projection mapping, seasonal window art programs, community-driven mosaic projects, artist-designed seating, bike racks, or functional streetscape art, and temporary or rotating installations (which help energize downtown repeatedly). "The NEA highlights that small towns benefit most from diverse, multi-modal art approaches tailored to local culture and history," Green added. Green said following last summer's successful Walls Between Waters Mural Festival, in which six professional and world-renowned acclaimed artists delivered six large-scale murals to the Downtown Corridor, the results were immediate and aligned with national research. "Locally, we saw thousands of visitors interacting with murals, increased social media visibility for Ticonderoga, new partnerships with schools, businesses, and regional artists, and requests from other towns in Essex County (Jay and Westport) to replicate the model," Green shared. "The positive response told us clearly that public art was working as an economic and cultural catalyst." The first six murals in Ticonderoga were made possible thanks to funding from Homes and Community Renewal's Land Bank Initiative program, with Essex County Land Bank serving as the initiative's fiscal agent. Future public art in town will be funded through a mix of sources, consistent with the funding models used nationwide, including NYS Homes & Community Renewal Public Art & Placemaking Initiative, private philanthropic foundations, corporate sponsorships, and NRDC/ECLB program funding. The initiatives do not come at a cost to taxpayers whatsoever. USDA Rural Development Report found that public art creates positive belonging and reduces outward migration of young people — a known challenge in rural counties. Public art is also credited for reshaping how residents and visitors perceive the town, generating optimism and encouraging additional private investment. "For Ticonderoga, this isn't just about beautification — it's about economic strategy, resident pride, and creating a downtown people want to visit, shop in, and return to," Green emphasized. "Public art is most powerful when it reflects the identity of the people who live here. Research shows public art works best when it is embedded in local history, supported by schools and youth, integrated with small business growth, and reinforced across multiple seasons." At January's information session, attendees can expect to receive a brief overview of the 2024 arts initiatives, opportunities for businesses, youth, artists, seniors, and nonprofits to give input, sign-ups for focus groups and volunteer roles, and a clear outline of how feedback will be used to guide funding and design. "Our goal is not just to install art — it's to help build a Ticonderoga that thrives year-round, supports its businesses, inspires its kids, and makes people proud to call it home," Green noted. The Ti Arts Downtown Gallery is located at 119 Montcalm Street in Ticonderoga. All community residents are invited to attend the Town Hall on Jan. 14. For questions or more information, please call 518-585-6366.

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NRDC to host public art Town Hall

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