BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Bowling Green has begun plans to construct public pieces of art in several places throughout the city.
The art known as “LOVE BGKY,” is an attempt to add more culture and value to the city.
According to Jeff Reed, President and CEO of Arts of Southern Kentucky, the project will be like other nationally known signs, such as “I Heart NY,” to promote more tourism.
“The love sign in Philadelphia, there’s the bean in Chicago, other communities have their iconic signs,” Reed said. “So the idea is that people can take photos and show that they were in Bowling Green.”
The art will be installed in the the following locations: Western Kentucky University, The National Corvette Museum, SKyPAC, Stadium Park Plaza, Buchanon Park and The Historic Railpark.
The art piece will be six feet tall and 19 feet long.
According to a news release, The Bowling Green Convention and Visitors Bureau helped fund half of the LOVE BGKY project.
Reed stated visitors should not have to pay for all art. He says projects such as these provide depth to the community.
“We should have art, without having to pay a ticket to see it in a museum or a concert hall,” Reed said. “We should be surrounded by it, enriched by it, as we go about our business in Bowling Green Warren County.”
And if the city keeps investing into these types of projects. Reed says it will propel Bowling Green’s growth, and will stand out from other areas that don’t invest in as much.
“I always say that when we talk about great cities, we don’t talk about how great their sidewalks are, or what great police forces they have, although those are all important things,” Reed said. “When we talk about St. Louis, we talk about the arch. When we talk about New York, we talk about the museums. So it’s just another example of what will make Bowling Green a great place to work and live.”
The art project will be built on a rolling schedule.