Abilene Times

The Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) has awarded grants totaling $12.9 million, including funding for the Freedom to Roam project for the Abilene Cultural District, which was given $94,566. 

The Freedom to Roam project will light two underpasses that connect the Abilene Cultural District with the SoDA District. 

“Public art directly influences how people perceive and connect with a place,” Lynn Barnett, executive director of the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council, said. “In this unprecedented time of social distancing, public art and lighting provide a visual mechanism which reinforces social connectivity and serves as a tool for economic growth and sustainability.” 

Additionally, the funding will enable a signature public sculpture between the Adamson-Spalding's Storybook Garden, the Abilene Convention Center, and the new DoubleTree by Hilton hotel. 

“We are honored and humbled to provide these grants to help sustain the Texas arts industry, which has been economically devastated by COVID-19," Gary Gibbs, executive director of TCA, said. "Over the last several months, we have seen many arts organizations and artists find creative and flexible ways to bridge distances and to find new ways of conducting their work and connecting communities."