A vacant building on Peoria’s South Side got a splash of color that the city hopes will spur more economic investment in the area. The City unveiled two vinyl murals Mon., as part of the Community Development Center’s first contest for an ongoing public art initiative.
The first installations are two vinyl murals, draped along the sides of a large warehouse at 3560 SW Adams St.
“This kind of shows the potential behind this vacant building. We’re planning on upkeeping the maintenance, and now, I just had somebody ask me, ‘hey I love that building, I’d be interested in buying it,” Neighborhood Enhancement Coordinator Terence Acquah said.
The two mounted murals were designed by local artists, who each won $500 for being selected. The vinyl allows for the city and building owners to periodically rotate artwork.
One of the pieces, titled “Greener Pastures,” depicts a split scene -- one half illustrates pollution and the other shows greenery, wind turbines and solar panels. The artist, Shweta Srivastava, says she's passionate about sustainability and improving the health of the local water supply.
“It will affect our health and businesses, so I was inspired by that, making something to pass my message to the community,” Srivastava said.
Terence Acquah encouraged artists and building owners to contact the city for submissions or partnerships.
*Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly referenced this as the "Art Pop" initiative, which is a separate, similar project. More information about Art Pop is available here.