Time to help Keep Arkansas Beautiful’s with spring cleanup

LITTLE ROCK — The Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission (KAB) invites Arkansans to join its spring cleanup campaign the Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup in Arkansas.

The Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup in Arkansas, organized and promoted statewide by KAB, starts March 1.

Cleanup, beautification and recycling events will be hosted across the state through to May 31.

Communities and groups are invited to sign up to organize a local cleanup this year at https://bit.ly/KABSignUp.

“Before our state receives thousands of tourists for the summer season, we want to invite Arkansans to take pride in their state by helping remove litter, recycle and participate in beautification efforts,” said Mark Camp, executive director of KAB.

“Last year, we had 179 cleanups over 65 counties. There will be cleanup events happening every weekend this spring statewide, so there are plenty of opportunities to do your part and get involved,” Camp said.

In conjunction with the Great American Cleanup, elementary- aged Arkansas students, Scouts, 4-H club members and homeschooled students are encouraged to enter the annual Great American Cleanup in Arkansas Youth Poster Contest.

Entries are due Friday, Feb. 28. For details on how to enter, go to http:// bit.ly/KABContest.

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LITTLE ROCK — The Division of Arkansas Heritage has awarded grants to five Arkansas communities to assist in the installation of public art. To be eligible for the grants, communities must be a member of the Main Street Arkansas program, administered by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, an agency of Arkansas Heritage. The Public Art Grants assist Main Street and Downtown Network communities in enhancing the appearance of their environment by facilitating the collaborations necessary to build and strengthen an awareness and enjoyment of public art.

The grants are funded by the 1/8 cent conservation tax.

The grants were awarded to:

• 64.6 Downtown, Fort Smith (Sebastian County), in the amount of $10,000 for its art installation entitled “Notes to Strangers.”

• Main Street Siloam Springs (Benton County), in the amount of $10,000 for “Its History and the People That Make It,” a mural.

• Main Street West Memphis (Crittenden County), in the amount of $5,000 for its “Musical Heritage” outdoor mural.

• Conway Downtown Partnership (Faulkner County), in the amount of $10,000 for the art installation “Whimsical Toad.”

• Main Street Batesville (Independence County), in the amount of $5,000 for the mural “Blossoming Main Street.”

The Public Art Grant Program assists communities that participate in the Main Street Arkansas program in the planning and implementation of public art for places viewable by the public within the Main Street district and on gateways to Main Street districts.

Projects must be new, site specific and public art, not memorial statues or works of religious nature. The artworks can include, but are not limited to, murals and tile work, paintings and drawings, and sculpture. The artwork must be freely visible and accessible to the public for at least two years. After installation of public art, applicant will be required to coordinate an unveiling event with Main Street Arkansas.