Two more murals are planned in Johnson County, and residents are being asked for suggestions on what they want the outdoor paintings in Franklin and Edinburgh to look like.
For the third year, the Johnson County Community Foundation is sponsoring the creation of murals in the county through its Color the County Mural Program. Edinburgh will receive its first mural, to be painted on the town’s new community center, and Franklin will receive its third, next to a trail that runs underneath the South Main Street bridge, said Kim Minton, the vice president of the foundation.
Local communities submitted applications for eight mural sites. The list was narrowed to the locations in Edinburgh and Franklin after a committee deliberated on which spots would be most appropriate, she said. The only requirement for the property owners is that the mural remain for at least five years, though with the type of paint used the mural will be able to last much longer, Minton said.
The location in Edinburgh at the John Drybread Community Center was selected because the mural will be highly visible to pedestrians and drivers on the rear side of the building on 100 E. Main Cross St., and because Edinburgh had not gotten a mural in the two previous years, Minton said.
In Franklin, the mural next to the trail will be in a spot where pedestrians and bicyclists will be able to enjoy it, she said.
The community foundation started the mural program in 2016 to celebrate its 25th anniversary, Minton said. Other murals are located at 86 W. Court St. and 315 E. Jefferson St., in Franklin; 10 S. Baldwin St., Bargersville; 189 W. Main St., Greenwood and 530 Main St., Whiteland.
So far, the previous murals have held up well to the weather and the response from the community with the painting days has been great, she said.
The community foundation is seeking applications from artists interested in designing the new murals and leading the effort to paint them. Artists may submit mural designs to the community foundation by May 11. The winning artists will receive a $1,000 award, mural materials and instructions for making an outdoor mural, a news release said.
This summer, the community foundation will have a community painting day where residents will assist the artists in creating the murals, the release said.
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Want to apply to design one of Johnson County’s two new murals? Here’s how:
Applications: Can be downloaded at www.jccf.org/mural-program
Deadline: 5 p.m. May 11
Contact: Kim Minton, 317-738-2213 or [email protected]
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