Board tentatively approves IMAGO public-art project and monthly Third‑Thursday events

Amy Berley, owner of Teal Canary Art Studio and volunteer with Oldtown Greenwood and Discover Oldtown Greenwood, described IMAGO: a community art project of 16–17 butterfly sculptures that will form a walkable public-art trail during monthly Third‑Thursday events from June through September.

Berley said Festival Country awarded a $73,700 grant to support the project, which includes adult‑scale and children’s sculptures, a digital field guide accessible via QR codes, and a community painting program intended to rotate artists and keep the trail fresh. She identified confirmed downtown display locations, including Greenwood Public Library, the children’s garden and the amphitheater; parks staff reported the parks department approved four city locations. Berley said Greenwood Inc., Festival Country and herself would coordinate maintenance and replacement of sculpture parts if vandalism occurred.

Board members and staff raised questions about final placement, insurance and pedestrian safety. A board member moved to approve both the IMAGO installation plan and the Third‑Thursday event framework “subject to coordination with city staff on final placement and coordination with city legal” to address insurance and any permit requirements; the motion was seconded and passed. City staff advised the group to wait for final sign‑offs before fabricating the sculptures to avoid wasted expense. The board’s approval was conditional on staff, legal and engineering sign‑off; the transcript records the motion as passed but does not include a roll‑call tally.

Berley said artists have already applied and that the festival website will host the digital guide and practical visitor information, including accessibility features for visitors with visual impairments.