Guest post by Donna Belt
As members of Southwest Raleigh continue to innovate our world through technology, open source, science, and medicine, there are still groups using low-tech methods to bring community together and help our city look beautiful. One such group is BEST—Beautifying Emerging Spaces Together.
Downtown Raleigh continues to thrive with new businesses, but there are still vacant spaces that, for all of us who love and support downtown, don’t help create the image that we know IS downtown.
The BEST team aims to re-purpose vacant spaces into expressions of the creativity and inspiration that draw us together in Raleigh. There have been three installations so far, and now BEST is in the process of creating their largest installation ever. The Dillon project in the Warehouse District will cover a 200 foot long facade on the east side of the Dillon Supply Co. building (on the 200 block of S. West Street), as well as wrapping around to create a space for showcasing projected art on the South side of the building.
With a transportation themed mural reflecting both Triangle Transit (that owns the building) and BEST’s passion for how Raleigh’s residents, businesses, and city government move forward together, this venue will provide a lively, welcoming backdrop for the development of the new Union Station, adjacent to this property.
Community-driven art
The site of the BEST public art project will eventually be made available for transit oriented development. To create this community-driven art installation, the expenses for supplies add into the thousands. A fundraiser is being held Friday, July 27 at Spy Raleigh to auction art and raffle prizes from local businesses to raise money for the project that will kick off in September.
We hope to see you this Friday to support this creative endeavour.