One of the pillars of my first campaign was to light up our downtown in a number of ways — literally, by adding festive lights in alleyways and streets; with music, celebrating our numerous talented musicians; and with art. We’ve been successful in accomplishing all three and turning our downtown into a destination.
Downtown Somerset was a blank canvas when we took office, so to speak — there were so many areas that we could bring to life with a little creativity and a lot of paint. So we set our local artists loose, allowing them to light up Somerset with their talent. The work is beautiful, and the impact it has had on our town is tremendous.
These beautiful outdoor murals allow us to celebrate our rich arts heritage in a permanent way. They not only give our buildings and parks a little more color, but they also attract visitors and boost business, a movement that’s growing across the state as a way to inject life into downtown areas. In two short years, artists created five beautiful outdoor murals for residents and visitors to engage with that tell Somerset’s story.
We also introduced a sister-city arts exchange program, which endeavors to build ambassadors for Somerset in other communities and support local artists by giving them opportunities for growth. Louisville was the first sister city in the fall of 2019. This partnership resulted in our first #seemyset story series project that celebrates one of our most beloved citizens, John Perkins.
All of these efforts culminated with the news in November 2020 that we would receive the state’s most prestigious arts award, the Governor’s Award in the Arts, for our support of the arts through government action. It was a wonderful honor, not just for our team, but for the artists who have poured so much of themselves into our community to make it a place for all generations.
The arts are uniquely entwined with every part of Somerset’s story. We will continue to open doors for our artisans to shine brightly and light up our community. I hope you’ll watch the videos posted here about the murals that are helping us tell that story, and the wonderful and talented artists who created them.
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