The Greater Augusta Arts Council is pleased to announce three new voting members have been added to Augusta’s Public Art Advisory Panel.

The Greater Augusta Arts Council was designated as the Public Art Agency for Augusta-Richmond County in November 2016. The City adopted a public art policy that designates that a Public Art Advisory Panel will review any public art projects that intersect with City regulation or funding.

Panel review of proposals are guided by ex officio and ad hoc members from City leadership and decisions are made by seven Richmond County residents, who volunteer to serve for three-year terms. Panel members are chosen from those who volunteer or are nominated by others. Proposed members are selected after a review of professional resumes, statements of interest in guiding public art, and with a conscious effort to maintain a diversity of panel member demographics by Commission District representation, Race, and Gender. New panel members are:

Laura Evans from District 1, a Communications Strategist at Augusta University College of Nursing. Laura said she "grew up surrounded with art since my mother is an artist. I love art and would like to be a part of seeing Augusta public art offerings grow."

Derron Neely from District 1, who attended Tuskegee University, graduated from A.R. Johnson High School and owns Studio Neighborhood Bar.

Brodrick Mungo from District 7, who served six years in the US Army and currently is the Technical Director/Chief Engineer at MAG Aerospace. Brodrick volunteers in the community with a focus on creative dance and theatre and said, “I would like to assist in bringing Augusta Art scene forward through out of the box thinking and creativity … Augusta is now my home and I want to invest in it."

Other panel members currently serving include Kenneth Benson, Graphic Designer at Augusta Sportswear Brands; Cameron Bentley, Distance Education Director at Augusta Technical College; Kigwana Cherry, Musician, CEO of Pop Up Augusta and Senior Quality Control Manager at Gilbane, Inc.; and Sa Jules, Author, Poet, Artist, and Human Resources Manager, AR/AP Specialist at Augusta Transportation, Inc. Dennis Skelley serves as the Chairman of the PAAP, Leon Maben as Vice-Chair, and Pax Bobrow as staff.

Projects that the Public Art Advisory Panel have provided guidance on include The James Brown Mural on JB Blvd, the Augusta Sculpture Trail, the new sculpture being installed in Twiggs Circle this spring, Art the Box installations, Golden Blocks murals, and Sidewalk murals by Storm Drains.