Forward Janesville - TheReport - Third Quarter 2020

to encourage pedestrians to reflect and linger riverside. And the large, granite bridgeheads will feature etchings of old maps, displaying the entire watershed of the Rock River.The carvings and other elements are designed to showcase all the vital pieces of Janesville’s past, present and future: Agriculture, Industry, Merchants, Civics, Arts and Culture, and Innovation. “What does resilience mean to us? Why were people drawn to Janesville and why did they choose and now keep choosing our community? At its heart, this art installation marries Janesville’s storied history with our bright future—all the things that make us special,” said donor Jane Blain Gilbertson. The Blain Gilbertson Family Heritage Bridge project is a cooperative effort of the City of Janesville and the ARISENow initiative (bridge base work) and the Forward Foundation ARISENow effort (artist installation). ARISENow has raised significant private funding to assist and elevate the downtown redevelopment effort, and the Heritage Bridge project is no exception. “Public art helps us tell the story. All six heritage elements are explored throughout the bridge in different, creative ways,” said donor Mick Gilbertson.“The project is an exceptional example of a true public-private partnership. Its success will become a road map for future efforts throughout the area. Jane and I are so excited to see it come to fruition.We hope you are as well.” It is hoped that the artwork fabrication will be completed by the end of August, with installation beginning in early September and a grand opening celebration in October. THIRD QUARTER 2020 • 9 The Power of Public Art Public art in America began gaining serious traction in the 1960s, when the National Endowment for the Arts established its first public art program. Freed from the confines of a museum, the art was further transformed—in some cases, function married with form became paramount; in others, artists felt free to express and share ideologies both political and personal with a much larger population. In fact, one might argue that public art blossomed during the 1960s Civil Rights movement, acting as a welcome new tool for visible and enduring freedom of expression.Today, one thing remains abundantly clear as more and more artistic installations have been installed across the nation: public art has the ability to attract widespread attention and even define a city or space with its impact. Great art picks up where nature ends. - Marc Chagall - A study called ‘Positive Affect and Markers of Inflammation: Discrete Positive Emotions Predict Lower Levels of Inflammatory Cytokines,’ published in the journal Emotion, found that activities that inspire awe may actually boost the immune system. “Awe has many important implications for our wellbeing. Experiencing awe can give us a sense of hope and provide a feeling of fulfillment,” said Shilagh Mirgain, PhD, Psychologist, University of Wisconsin Health. According to a Travel Industry Association of America National Travel Survey, two-thirds of American adult travelers (92.7 million) say they include a cultural, arts, heritage or historic activity or event while on a trip of 50 miles or more, and 32% (29.6 million) added extra time to their trip because of a cultural, arts, heritage, or historic activity or event. Americans for the Arts reports that previous economic and tourism research has shown that nonlocal attendees to cultural and arts events spend more than their local counterparts. In fact, data shows that nonlocal attendees spent twice as much as local attendees ($39.96 vs. $17.42), demonstrating that when a community attracts cultural tourists, it reaps significant economic rewards.