Worcester - The Worcester Business Development Corporation (WBDC) and local community partners today announced the unveiling of two new large scale murals in Downtown Worcester's Theatre District on

the former Telegram & Gazette (T&G) building at 20 Franklin Street. The murals are be located in Allen Court "Arts Alley" across from Worcester City Hall and the Common. 

The T&G newspaper operated out of this 135,000 square foot facility until 2008. In 2011, the WBDC purchased the former T&G building for the purposes of remediating and revitalizing a key property within Downtown Worcester. The building is being placed back into active use as a mixed-use facility which will include office space, the downtown campus for Quinsigamond Community College and an Innovation Center. The WBDC working in partnership with the City of Worcester received unanimous approval by the Worcester City Council for the Theatre District Master Plan in December 2013. These murals complement the vision of the Theatre District Master Plan and offer vibrant reflections of local culture.

The designs - conceived of and created by Worcester county artists- are intended for display of 3-9 months, and removed at the end of that time. One artist was selected through a juried process led by Mary Tinti, Associate Curator of the Fitchburg Art Museum. A second artist was invited by the working committee to complement the first work. The artworks are created on sheets of 20 x 30 inch paper and/or rolls of newsprint and adhered to the walls with Wheat-Paste. This method has been has been adopted by street artists, musicians and DYI creators as a non-destructive way to promote their work and beautify a drab urban environment.

These murals are the latest projects in collaboration between the WBDC, the City of Worcester and the
Public Art Working Group (PAWG). The Arts Alley will be a showcase of high-quality temporary murals that reflect the chosen theme which "Celebrates Community and Connectivity". The goal is to reactivate a deteriorating space into an exciting work of art that engages students,professionals and residents of the downtown area. The WBDC sought assistance from distinguished artist Susan Champeny who is facilitating this project.

Cultural Development Director Erin I. Williams said, "Great cities deserve great art! The City of Worcester encourages and promotes the enrichment of the cultural landscape of the city through aesthetic improvements of public spaces, uniting artists and community and inspiring civic pride. This project is an important first step in that endeavor." 

According to Williams, the community has been
very responsive to the project. "We are getting a lot of inquiries from people who are really enthused or
want their building decorated with public art," she said. "We see this as a catalyst, the spark to ignite
other projects. And it supports the PAWG's mantra to Make Art Everywhere!

PAWG, a subcommittee of the Worcester Cultural Coalition announced the installation of a new large scale mural on the Chatham Street side of the historic Denholm building, 484 Main Street. PAWG tapped internationally acclaimed street artist and Massachusetts native Caleb Neelon for the Denholm
Commission which was completed in early August. Two other murals are being planned for the summer
of 2015.

The Allen Court Art Alley project is supported in part by a grant from the Worcester Arts Council, a local
agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

About Susan Champeny
Susan Champeny creates murals, mosaics, and recycled materials sculpture. Her whimsical and
engaging sculptures have shown as nearby as Elm Park in her hometown of Worcester, MA, and as far
away as Hilo, HI. She has worked on a number of projects in Worcester, most notably the Wayfinder
Initiative in 2007 and a mural for the Crown Hill Historic District to be executed this fall. Her most recent
project is the "Snow Saucer Lady Bug," now on display on a light pole in Washington, DC. Her goal is to
inspire, wonder and surprise in the viewer by creating memorable images.

About the Artists
Jon Allen has worked extensively throughout the local area as well as New York. Originally from
Ashburnham, MA, he received a B.F.A. in Fine Art from Syracuse University in 1998. His first large scale
painting commission came in the year of 1996 while transitioning into his junior year of college. A year
after graduating he located to New York City where he worked on a variety of professional illustration
and fine art. He worked on several large scale mural projects in New York which were both indoors and
outdoors. Several years later he relocated back to Massachusetts where he continued his endeavors in
large-scale work. In 2012, he partnered with C.C. Lowell of Park Avenue in Worcester in which he
painted the dragons that adorns their parking lot.

Erik Nasinnyk is a multi-media artist combining modern aesthetics and experimental collage, painting
and transfer techniques. This is his largest piece to date, created on over 300 sheets of paper using
acrylic paint to make an abstract portrait of the diverse, cultural melting pot that is Worcester County.
His first show was in Saratoga Springs in 1997, and most recently was part of Art on the line 2013 here in
Worcester. He lives and works in Oxford, MA, where he also runs an online vintage clothing shop.

About Mary Tinti
Mary Tinti is an art historian and curator specializing in modern and contemporary art, with a focus on
public art. Since 2011, she has worked as the Koch Curatorial Fellow at deCordova Sculpture Park and
Museum in Lincoln. Prior to joining the staff at deCordova, she was the first-ever public art fellow at the New England Foundation for the Arts (2010-2011) and the deputy artistic director of WaterFire
Providence (2008-2010).

About PAWG
The City of Worcester's Cultural Development Office is leading an effort to increase the amount of
publicly accessible art in Worcester. As part of these efforts, staff created a catalogue of existing public
art as well as a public art map. In an effort to identify locations and opportunities throughout the city for
the installation of additional permanent and/or temporary public art pieces, the Public Art Working
Group (PAWG) was established. PAWG advocates for the creation and installation of new publicly
accessible art and is currently working to identify possible sites for new public art.

PAWG's has proposed a three part plan.

• Commission large-scale public art in the downtown footprint
• Support local and regional artists in the development of public art throughout the City
• Encourage and support the engagement of young people and the general public in creating public art

About Worcester Business Development Corporation
Established in 1965, the Worcester Business Development Corporation (WBDC) is a non-profit business organization whose mission is to serve as an innovative and leading force in the economic development of the City of Worcester and the region, resulting in job creation and tax base expansion.

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