Dale music, theater mural to start early March

The city of Ozark has received a $5,800 grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts to partially fund the second mural in the Ozark Mural Program entitled “Dale County Music and Theater.”

According to Ozark Mayor Mark Blankenship, the Ozark Mural Program was created to celebrate the people and places that make Ozark and Dale County so unique. “One of the goals of this program is to preserve our history and to share that knowledge with the next generation in hopes that they will learn more about our town and the great people that call Dale County home.”

Ozark native Wilbur Jackson is honored on the 26-foot mural on the side of a building in downtown Ozark that features Jackson alongside legendary Alabama coach Paul “Bear” Bryant and the logos of DA Smith High School, Carroll High School, Alabama, the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins, all of Jackson’s former teams.

The program’s second mural, to be painted by artist Wes Hardin on the side of the Hoppergrass Restaurant building facing Broad Street and across from the First United Methodist Church, will highlight people from Ozark and Dale County that have made a notable impact in music and/or theater.

“This grant signifies that through this project, the city is making Alabama’s communities stronger and our state’s arts and culture sector more vibrant,” Blankenship said. “We anticipate that the Ozark Mural Program will bring families, tourists and groups to downtown Ozark not only to view the murals but also to learn about our rich history.

“The Ozark mural program is funded through grants and by generous donations from citizens who want to see a revitalization of downtown Ozark and to preserve our history for the next generation. We hope to start the next mural in early March,” he added.

The grant, awarded by the Alabama State Council on the Arts, is made possible through funding from an annual appropriation from the Alabama State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. This public support enables the city to reach new audiences, foster community development, provide the highest quality programming and demonstrate the importance of arts as a key component for quality of life in Alabama.

The Ozark Mural Program was created to celebrate Ozark’s hometown heroes, historic places and colorful history, Blankenship said. “These beautiful works of art will not only enhance downtown Ozark but preserve our rich history for generations to come.”

Those interested in donating to the Ozark Mural program are asked to send checks made out to the City of Ozark with the memo/description “Ozark Mural Program” to Ozark Mural Program, P.O. Box 1987, Ozark, Ala., 36361. Donations can also be made online through www.ozarkal.gov.