W E

N

ART INAGRICULTURELINKING THE CITY THROUGHARTS AND AGRICULTURE

—William Jennings Bryan

Art inAgriCulture

Art in AgriCulture is a community project

which combines a series of permanent art

and landscaping improvements with a

celebration of the arts. It was seeded by an

idea outlined in the Lakeland Community

Redevelopment Agency’s Downtown

Redevelopment Plan which champions

the continued urbanization of downtown

Lakeland through new real estate and

business development as well as ongoing

enhancements to improve pedestrian,

automobile and cycling connectivity, and

overall quality of life.

As with all fledgling ideas, this project

required nurturing and cultivation, which

was provided by Platform Art, a non-profit

arts organization which specializes in

showcasing new and exciting talent in

all aspects of the arts. Platform Art

spearheaded the Art in AgriCulture idea

which rapidly grew into a fun, creative,

collaborative venture involving an

extraordinary number of arts, education,

government and business organizations.

Art in AgriCulture took form initially as

an indoor/outdoor progressive art party

beginning on the west side of the Orange

Street Bridge and moving east towards

the downtown Core. The event, envisioned

as a one-time celebration, would have

the dual benefit of leaving physical

enhancements behind which would

continue to encourage the community

to experience this part of downtown

Lakeland. The event was proposed to

start at The Lakeland Center’s Hyatt Hotel,

progress to the Orange Street Bridge, move

to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church followed by

the Polk Theater, and then conclude at

Arts on the Park. Along the party route,

participants would be able to view a

number of artistic expressions; from a new

public art installation on the Orange Street

Bridge to a community garden in a former

vacant lot, to the renowned Lemon Street

Promenade filled with outdoor sculptures.

Moreover, each of the venues would

host visual art displays, films and live

performances.

When tillage begins,other arts follow. Thefarmers, therefore, arethe founders of humancivilization.

- Daniel Webster

“”

Lakeland has always had a strong history and connection to the

agriculture industry so it is no small surprise that this rapidly

urbanizing city would be the location of a very creative, collaborative

community-based venture called Art in AgriCulture. Popular

belief is that agriculture cannot exist in hot concrete jungles, but

this community project has highlighted “urban agriculture” by

making improvements to both the urban and cultural landscape.

A project as ambitious as this required the

participation, patronage and collaboration of

a number of organizations and individuals.

Platform Art commissioned a ceramic mural to

be installed on the Orange Street Bridge by

ceramicists and artists Charlie Parker and Beate

Marston of St. Petersburg, Florida. The artists

developed their design concept with the

assistance of a number of community members

who represented education, farming and

agriculture, landscape design, gardening and

government. In keeping with the theme of Art in

AgriCulture, the mural depicts iconic images

and the skyline of Lakeland, interspersed with

images that celebrate Polk County’s agricultural

heritage. The completed mural will be installed

on both sides of the bridge, in two lengths of

80 feet each.

Arts on the Park and St. Joseph’s Catholic Church

offered the use of their spaces for event activities.

St. Joseph’s also allowed the community garden

to be placed on their property and pledged to

maintain the plantings once established. Partners

as varied as the Lakeland Funeral Home and

Memorial Gardens, Folsom Construction, Polk

County Master Gardeners and Jim Williams Fence

Company, came together to assist in preparing

the site and planting a community garden

designed by the University of Florida/ Institute of

Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS)/ Polk

County Extension Service.

The City of Lakeland’s Parks and Recreation, Public

Works and Water Utilities Departments assisted

with many aspects of the project, from the

contribution of plants and labor to the garden,

assistance with the engineering and installation

of the tile mural, as well as the coordination of

utilities. The Lakeland Downtown Development

Authority provided financial assistance, as well

as expedited design review and permitting.

The project also capitalized on the recent revival

of outdoor sculpture along the Lemon Street

Promenade. Sculptor Doug Makemson, of Athens,

Georgia, has loaned the City of Lakeland twelve

pieces of his whimsical scrap metal sculptures

which depict dogs, birds, and insects. The Lemon

Street Promenade has had a long history as a

location for public/private art installations.

The ceramic mural, created by

Charlie Parker and Beate

Marston, of Charlie Parker

Pottery in St. Petersburg,

Florida, was inspired by

conversations with members

of the community about Polk

County’s agricultural heritage

as well as the challenge of

reconciling harsh urban

environments with the more

pastoral perceptions of

agricultural settings. These

discussions, combined with

Charlie and Beate’s visits to

Lakeland, resulted in a

beautiful piece which

showcases vistas of

Lakeland’s downtown skyline,

images which reference

Central Florida’s ties to the

citrus industry, as well as

flourishing plants which

are the result of our often

tropical climate.

The ultimate goalof farming is not

the growing of crops,but the cultivation

and perfection ofhuman beings.

- Masanobu Fukuoka,The One-Straw Revolution

“”

01

01. The Lakeland Center

02. New Street Trees

03. Heritage Garden

04. Orange Street Bridge ceramic mural

01. The LakelandCenter

02. Platform ArtCommunity Garden

03. Heritage Garden04. Orange Street Bridge

0204

04

06

WHEREEASTMEETSWEST

03

05. Event VenueA St. Joseph’s Catholic Church

B Polk Theatre

C Arts on the Park

06. Platform ArtCommunity Garden

07. Lemon Street Promenade

05

05

A

B 07

07

C

Agriculture is our wisestpursuit, because it will inthe end contribute most

to real wealth, goodmorals, and happiness.

Letter from Thomas Jeffersonto George Washington (1787)

“”

Platform Art Party #19: Art in AgriCulture was the

public celebration of the culmination of this

project and took place on April 28, 2012. After

Deputy City Manager Tony Delgado completed

the official dedication of the ceramic mural,

Lady Godiva kicked off the party which included

performances by Florida Dance Theater Youth

Ensemble, the Shuffling Squares of Lake Ashton,

Billy Needs a Beard, and Moxie Le Femme. The

evening included poetry readings, performance

art, computer animations from the Ringling

College of Art and Design, and visual art displays

by a number of local artists. Orange Street was

closed to automobile traffic which allowed

the party to spill into the street. Food trucks,

Faith Equine Rescue, Campfire USA, the Future

Farmers of America (FFA) and the Polk County

Extension/Master Gardeners had exhibits in the

street and adjacent to the community garden.

While the art party was a one-time

event, Art in AgriCulture is an ongoing

project. The

Orange Street Bridge ceramic mural

and community garden are just the

beginning of a long term commitment

to link west side of South Florida Avenue

to the downtown core through physical

improvements. Future projects include

enhanced landscaping along Orange

Street, a proposed cycle track on New

York Avenue as well as additional public

art. To continue the celebration of art

and the Lakeland community, an October

Platform Art event is in the planning stages.

And consistent with the goals of the Lakeland

Community Redevelopment Agency, real estate

development opportunities which will help to

support the existing businesses on the west

side of downtown will be encouraged.

The idea and implementation of Art in

AgriCulturehas shown the power of community

and collaboration around a shared vision. We

anticipate that this project will continue to grow

and change and will be further enhanced by the

partners who participate in its implementation.

Most importantly, with the participation of so

many, as a community, we will all reap great

benefits.

Platform Art shakes off old perceptions that “art is stuffy” by giving visual

and performing artists from Central Florida an opportunity to showcase

their talents in a nontraditional manner.

Agriculture not onlygives riches to a nation,but the only riches she

can call her own.

Samuel Johnson

“”

Platform Art, Inc., a non-profit arts organization, is a

community-conscious collaboration of artisans and art

lovers whose ultimate goal is to showcase new and

exciting talent in the fields of visual arts, film, fashion,

music and performance.

St. Joseph’sCATHOLIC CHURCHCATHOLIC CHURCH

Credit Union

City of Lakeland • 228 South Massachusetts Avenue • Lakeland, Florida 33801www.lakelandcra.net • 863.834.6011

Photo credit: Tom Hagerty