Tracy Murrell

Thank you for the great interview and sharing our story! 💖

** Click the link in Bio tonread the full interview **

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Thank you for sharing our story! 💖

"The Integral Group, a Black-owned development company, partnered with cultural agency NEXT to support artists while revamping a historic Atlanta neighborhood with its BLVD NEXT arts initiative. Eventually, the current construction site will be a multi-use complex on 22 acres, replacing the former Atlanta Medical Center. The years-long project could undoubtedly be less than aesthetically pleasing. However, the owner of NEXT, Faith Carmichael, and the Integral Group came up with a plan to decorate construction fencing with murals that speak to the community in transition.

The project’s BLVD NEXT initiative seeks to create a space that honors and respects the present while simultaneously preparing for the future. Carmichael and inaugural artist Tracy Murrell spoke with BLACK ENTERPRISE about the initiative, discussing how visual art plays a part in development and how community history shaped their approach.

Why was it important for art to be involved from the very beginning of this development?

Carmichael: They [are] a Black-owned development company, and over the years of working together, they’ve shown a sincere and authentic commitment to community, to the Atlanta arts ecosystem, and to rising artists of color. This is a space with deep history and legacy, but also a history of disinvestment and real challenges. The question became how we could use the power of art to show that this developer was walking the talk. They were committed to building something that respected the legacy and the stories of the community, not just focusing on the future.

Tracy, as the inaugural artist, what did it feel like to know you were setting the tone for a project that would last for years?

Faith and I have worked together for years. When she calls with an idea, they’re always thoughtful. She never just asks if you want to put work somewhere. She asks if you want to be in conversation.

Click the link in my bio to read the full article.

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Landscapes aren’t just outside us. They live within us—the hills, the valleys, the places we’ve crossed to become who we are.