About the Carnegie Arts Trail

The Carnegie Arts Trail is a public art extravaganza that will showcase larger than life metal dragonfly sculptures, painted and decorated by commissioned artists, throughout historic downtown Decatur in the spring and summer of 2010. Artists will be asked to draw on the cultural influences and history of Decatur to inspire their whimsical designs, thereby creating dragonflies that come to life. The event will be funded through individual and corporate sponsorships that allow a broad cross-section of the Decatur community to contribute. Profits from The Carnegie Arts Trail benefit the Carnegie Visual Arts Center.

The call for Sponsors and Artists has already begun and will continue through March 20, 2010. Artist designs are due by March 5th. The Artist Selection Committee will select the winning designs and place them in a portfolio for Corporate Sponsors to choose their designated artists. In mid-March, Sponsors will be officially paired with their artists. Artists will take delivery of the dragonflies no later than March 15th and have until April 16th to complete their work. The painted dragonflies will hover over downtown (and other locations) in early May and remain on the streets through the summer. After the exhibit ends, sponsors may take their dragonflies to the permanent location of their choice or donate them back to the Carnegie to be auctioned off at the 2nd Annual Art Ball and Auction on August 14, 2010.

EVERYONE! The Carnegie Arts Trail is a family-friendly art event that will boost community spirit on all levels. The three and a half month public art exhibit will visually promote art and culture, showcase local talent, increase pedestrian traffic for the entire downtown Decatur business district and offer area businesses that are not located downtown, an opportunity to increase their awareness and participation in the community.

The Carnegie Arts Trail will financially support the Carnegie Visual Arts Center and its programs.

The Carnegie Visual Arts Center, a not-for-profit organization, is a cultural, educational and community-service organization providing an environment to promote learning, creation and appreciation of the visual arts, preserve one of the area’s significant historical buildings and serve as a multi-purpose community resource for all the citizens of Decatur, Morgan County and all of North Alabama. The Carnegie Arts Trail takes the very essence of the Carnegie’s mission - Passionately Promoting Art for All - out into the community through the exhibition of the dragonflies in the historic downtown areas as well as selected areas in other parts of the community. The Carnegie Arts Trail committee is committed to the inclusion of an education component within our school system.