County receives $5,000 grant for local art honoring Maury Courthouse's 120 years

Special to The Daily Herald
·2 min read
The Christmas tree in front of the Maury County courthouse.
The Christmas tree in front of the Maury County courthouse.

Maury County Government has been awarded a $5,000 matching grant from the South Central Tennessee Development District.

The Arts Build Communities, or “ABC,” grant will help the county commemorate the historic Maury County Courthouse as it celebrates 120 years of service to the community in 2024.

The grant will fund a community juried art competition open to Maury County citizens of all ages.

According to a press release, the theme will focus on "What does the courthouse represent to its citizens?" Citizens are invited to use their artistic abilities to design an original piece of art (all genres are welcome) that interprets what the Maury County Courthouse means.

Maury County Archives Director Tom Price reviews plans for the building's expansion, increasing in space from approximately 2,000 square feet to almost 20,000 square feet, housing the county's historical documents, books, maps and other items.
Maury County Archives Director Tom Price reviews plans for the building's expansion, increasing in space from approximately 2,000 square feet to almost 20,000 square feet, housing the county's historical documents, books, maps and other items.

“The Maury County Courthouse is an iconic and historic structure for the state of Tennessee,” said Maury County Archives Director Tom Price.

“Built by local architect J.E.R. Carpenter, before he went on to great fame as one of the leading architects of luxury high-rise living in New York City, this building has been the central focus of our county since it was built in 1904. It symbolizes much to our community. This grant is a wonderful opportunity to allow the citizens of the county to interpret and express what the building represents.”

The contest will start with a commemoration ceremony honoring the courthouse, which will include a proclamation by Maury County Mayor Sheila Butt, followed by an overview focusing on the history of the Maury County Courthouse by Price starting at 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan 11.

Maury County citizens will have from Jan. 11 to March 22 to submit their artwork to the Maury County Archives' temporary location at 1446 Oak Springs Drive, Suite 100 (the far end of Muletown Rec).

Art will be juried in four age categories: elementary, secondary, high school and adults ages 18 and over. Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place for each category, and one grand-prize winner will be announced during Mule Day on April 6, 2024.

Rules for artist submissions include:

  • Artwork must be original.

  • All art intended for wall-mounting (drawings/paintings etc.) in the 18+ category must be submitted in a frame and wired for hanging.

  • All submitted art must be accompanied by a card with the artist's name, contact information, category, title and medium.

  • All art must be submitted by 3 p.m. Friday, March 22.

Art will be juried by five esteemed artists which include local photographers Sarah Gilliam and Ross Jaynes, as well as painters James Spearman and Margaret Warfield and sculptor Jennifer Grisham.

The winning submissions will be displayed at the courthouse during the 2024 Mule Day festivities. All submitted artwork will be placed on display at the Pryor Art Gallery at Columbia State Community College from May 13th-June 14th, with be a gallery reception scheduled May 13th.

For more information about the contest, contact Price at (931) 375-1500.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Arts contest to commemorate 120 years of Maury County Courthouse