Garner Earns Statewide Award, Public Art Investment Recognized

Garner won statewide recognition for an expanded public art program when the American Planning Association North Carolina Chapter presented the 2025 North Carolina Great Places for Public Art Award at its annual conference in Charlotte on October 15. The town's Planning Department submitted an award package titled Downtown Garner Public Art Initiatives that showcased a series of murals, sculptures, crosswalk art, and community driven projects concentrated in the Main Street and Garner Road area.

The submission singled out multiple pieces and efforts that have reshaped public spaces in recent years. Among the works cited were the Wings of Hope sculpture unveiled earlier this year at the corner of Garner Road and Avery Street, the In Full Bloom mural on the Full Bloom Coffee building at Main and Purvis Streets, and the Hidden Figures mural honoring some of Garner's most venerated Black residents on the Locs, Naturals and More Salon and Academy building at Rand Mill and Main Streets. The package also highlighted a new sculpture at the corner of East Garner and Auburn Knightdale roads commemorating the Auburn community's railroad heritage, newly painted crosswalk art near the Garner Recreation Center, the Art Around Town initiative that placed 23 works in public locations in 2021, and the 2018 Pop Up Art project that featured fence posts painted by a cross section of local residents.

The APA North Carolina Chapter described the award as something that "values a community's creative side." The town's submission argued that public art work serves broader goals for accessibility, inclusion and place making, stating "From large scale murals that celebrate the town’s cultural and historical roots to interactive projects like painted crosswalks and community art installations, Garner has prioritized accessibility, inclusivity and creativity in the public realm."

Town leaders formally celebrated the award at the November 3 Town Council meeting. Council Member Kathy Behringer, who chairs the Public Art Advisory Board and has led many of the initiatives, said at the meeting, "Public art is a good thing to have. It makes your town look attractive, but it also makes people smile—and that’s what you want."

For Wake County residents, the award signals a visible municipal policy choice to invest in public realm improvements as a tool for downtown revitalization, cultural recognition, and community engagement. The projects noted in the submission demonstrate outreach to a range of participants and subjects, including recognition of Black residents and historic community identities, which can influence civic pride and local tourism.

The recognition also surfaces practical governance questions for Wake County voters and municipal officials. Public art requires ongoing maintenance, clear lines for funding, and transparent processes for siting and selection. The Planning Department and the Public Art Advisory Board have led initial efforts, but sustaining the program will likely require budget decisions and continued public involvement. The award enhances Garner's profile for regional planners and potential grantors, and it sets an expectation that the town translate public praise into durable institutional support.