The Kernersville board of aldermen this week reviewed the town’s latest step toward addressing regulatory roadblocks that have prevented a planned downtown mural project from advancing. 

For more background on this developing story, click here to read Scope News’ previous coverage.

Starting in May, town staffers began researching ordinances elsewhere in the state that could provide a solution for the local quandary. Last month, they came up with language for a proposed amendment presented at Tuesday’s meeting.

As part of its proposal, the town drafted the following definition for outdoor community art: “Statues, sculptures, murals, mosaics, fountains, or other, similar features on public or private property so long as it is visible to the public and does not require the public to be a patron or resident of the development in which the art is located in order to view the art.”

Proposed changes include the adoption of standards for “plaques denoting honorariums, memorials, or sponsorships on public amenities within or visible from the public right-of-way,” thus addressing a critical sticking point between the current town ordinance and the sponsorship-driven project envisioned by local muralist Christina Parrish. 

The information presented this week also “establishes expectations regarding upkeep and maintenance,” referencing one of the town’s concerns about public art detracting from the historic downtown aesthetic. 

As for next steps, the proposal will be presented in a public hearing during Monday’s planning board meeting. The board’s recommendation will then be up for consideration by aldermen at their September 2 meeting. 

Parrish told Scope News that she is pleased with the progress thus far and Bruce Frankel, a vocal advocate for the mural project, shared his thoughts during the recent meeting.

“With your acceptance of the recommended proposal, we accomplish two objectives: Christina Parrish can move forward with her excellent Kernersville Mural Festival, and second, it opens up the door for future discussion and actions to bring quality community art to our town for residents and visitors to appreciate,” he said. 

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