City of Eureka partners with Eureka Main Street, Ink People and others to beautify vacant buildings

The City of Eureka, in partnership with Eureka Main Street, The Ink People, Eureka Poet Laureate David Holper , Eddy Alexander, and Councilmember Leslie Castellano, have debuted a new window poem art project in an effort to beautify vacant buildings in Old Town and Downtown Eureka.

To kick off the initiative, the City has sponsored a handful of combination window paintings and poem displays as well as committed funding to pay participating artists.

“Our community is feeling the economic effects COVID-19,” Eureka’s Economic Development Manager Swan Asbury said. “During this challenging moment, we wanted to show the resiliency of our citizens and highlight the enormous talent of our local artists and poets.  The window poem art project is designed to be a point of brightness in these difficult times.”

Community members and artists are encouraged to get involved. Property and business owners can participate by sponsoring installations in their windows for $250, which covers the cost of commissioning the artist and poet, and providing the cost of supplies. Owners of commercial buildings who would like to feature local window art poems can sponsor an original piece in their vacant windows by reaching out to Christine Tyson via email (ctyson@ci.eureka.ca.gov).

Beyond sponsorships, citizens can support the project by touring the community and checking out these pieces and developing more creative ways to express Eureka’s resiliency through window art and door decorating.

“We’ve always had a focus on grassroots neighborhood programs here in Eureka,” Councilmember Castellano said. “This project is an opportunity to embrace your neighborhood and explore our local community, as well as express how we’re navigating this difficult period through art, which can be incredibly restorative and therapeutic.”

To view the current window poems, citizens are encouraged to visit 2nd Street next to Humboldt Bay Provisions and near Forever Young Beauty Salon.