Downtown Fort Wayne, Art This Way, and Barrett & Stokely Invite the Public to Celebrate a New Mural at The Riverfront at Promenade Park

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Art This Way, a program of Downtown Fort Wayne, is pleased to share that local muralist Tim Parsley will install a 1,300-square-foot mural along South Harrison Street. The mural will be painted from May 20 – May 31, 2024, and the public will be welcome to visit the mural site during the installation. This project will cover the cinder block walls of the west entrance of The Riverfront at Promenade Park parking garage.

The west parking garage entrance along South Harrison Street, across from Promenade Park, will be closed during installation hours to protect the artist. However, the parking garage will remain open, and the public can use the South Calhoun Street entrance during installation hours.

“This entryway mural is inspired by Parisian botanical design but with floral elements authentic to Indiana, providing another contribution to the ever-growing artistic celebration of Downtown Fort Wayne,” said Parsley.

Parsley has painted numerous public art projects in Downtown Fort Wayne, including the buffalo mural at The Landing, the Walt Witman mural within the Bill Blass Runway, and the mural on the south elevation of Aaron’s Fine Rug Gallery on Broadway. This new project, directly adjacent to Promenade Park, will further enhance the pedestrian experience along South Harrison Street.

Artists submitted interest in the Art This Way program via a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) application on the website. Through that application process, several local artists were selected to submit proposal concepts for this parking garage mural, and Parsley’s design was chosen.

“We are excited to have The Riverfront at Promenade Park be a part of the Art This Way project that is renewing the landscape of Downtown Fort Wayne,” said Barrett & Stokely Property Manager Anita Gordon. “These dynamic and transformative pieces of art will create a lasting mark that generations to come will be able to enjoy as they visit Downtown. These murals will help create a visual storytelling of Fort Wayne’s rich history.”

Upon completing this project, the public will be invited to join the artist for a mural dedication event, details of which will be announced at a later date. For more information and to stay connected on the progress, please follow Art This Way on social media or go to ArtThisWayFW.com.

Funding for this project was designated through The Public Art Giveback Program. The Public Art Giveback Program is a funding instrument for the City of Fort Wayne’s Public Art Program based upon contributions from specific city-supported eligible redevelopment projects, as described in § 33.188 of the City Code of Ordinances. As part of the development of The Riverfront at Promenade Park, project management is required to spend funds on public art projects. All public art projects funded through this mechanism are subject to review and approval by the City of Fort Wayne’s Public Art Commission.

The Riverfront at Promenade Park mural is powered by Barrett & Stokely.