Arts District designated in downtown Jackson
JACKSON, TENN (WNBJ)-
The city of Jackson hopes to use art to bring more people and more business to the downtown. The Jackson city council has voted to create an art district in town.
“I think it'll bring a lot of tourism and excitement and people want to hang out and enjoy downtown Jackson a little bit more," said Hope Cunningham Co-Owner of Grounded Plant Co.
“We both love art and are artists ourselves. And it's so encouraging, i would say to just have that support, support and just an area designated for it. I think it'll be great for downtown,” Morgan Walker Co-Owner of Grounded Plant Co. said.
Morgan Walker and Hope Cunningham own the Grounded Plant Co. their business is in the new art district that was just created by the Jackson city council
Lizzie Emmons of the Jackson Arts Council said, “What we're doing by designating this as the arts district is saying, we love what's going on. Let's do more and more and more of it. So, we're really encouraging the creation of art. We're encouraging businesses to incorporate the arts into their business. We're encouraging artists to make more art, perform more art in the area.”
Lizzie Emmons and the Jackson arts council played a big part in getting the downtown area designated as an arts district,
She said, “An arts district not only is going to open doors for artists, but it's also going to increase our tourism in this particular area. It's going to get more traffic downtown. It's going to retain residents in this area. It's going to make people want to move to this area.”
Business owners are thrilled that their part of town is getting the attention:
“We have so many whispers in our ear about things coming down here, you know, like restaurants and other cool shops that I really hope that gives more incentive now that we're labeled a district,” Walker said.
“I think that it's impossible to think about downtown development without incorporating arts and culture this is the heart of our city and arts and culture is something that we all hold dear and dear to our own hearts,” said Emmons.
And Emmons believes the new art district will open doors for grants for the city and its residents.
Grounded Plant Co already partners with local artists, and creativity is rooted in the business Walker says,
“We've gotten really creative with plants recently, like making cool terrariums and little more small terrarium things and sand art with plants… we are offering classes so other people can come in and create other things with us, you know?”
Emmons hopes the art district will benefit more than just businesses, "This is a way to bring us all together and unify us by incorporating the arts into downtown.”
The arts council and the city want to encourage more art in the downtown area.
