Water Street Studios Batavia Public Art Initiative
Public art plays a vital role in shaping the cultural landscape, fostering social connections, and enriching the human experience in public spaces.
Volunteers lead a free craft using jelli plates, paint, dried flowers, and leaves during the Art of the Fox mural series reveal party.
About The Batavia Public Art Initiative
The BPAI is a volunteer-run sub-committee of Water Street Studios comprised of professional artists, sculptors, and creatives. Our goals are to:
Increase public awareness, appreciation, and contribution of public art;
Increase public awareness of Water Street Studios as a community art hub in the Fox Valley;
Establish a sense of community in Batavia & the greater Fox Valley through outdoor art installations;
Propose and support activities, initiatives, and events that benefit and advance art in Batavia and the greater Fox Valley.
Want to learn more? Send us a email.
“Public art humanizes the built domain and invigorates public spaces. It provides an intersection between past, present, and future, between disciplines, and between ideas. Public art is freely accessible.”
Public Art Network Council - americansforthearts.org
H.C. Storm Elementary School mosaic mural made by parents, students, staff, residents, and Water Street Studios Art Flow program participants.
Why Support Public Art?
Water Street Studios needs your help investing in the vitality and enrichment of our community. With your support, Water Street Studios and The Batavia Public Art Initiative will work to create a vibrant, inclusive, and culturally rich environment that fosters creativity, connection, and civic pride.
Public art enhances spaces, transforming buildings, streets, and parks into dynamic hubs of artistic expression and community engagement. Through exhibitions, installations, and events, the Batavia Public Art Initiative hopes to provide opportunities for education, dialogue, and social interaction, enriching the lives of residents and visitors alike.
Research suggests public art stimulates economic growth, attracts tourism, and creates job opportunities. Your contribution will leave a lasting legacy of beauty, inspiration, and heritage for future generations to enjoy and appreciate!
Interested in Sponsoring an Installation?
Send us an email to learn about upcoming projects, sponsorship opportunities, and support tiers.
Upcoming Installations
Stay tuned for 2025 projects…
Previous Installations
Photos courtesy of April Duda Photography
Photos courtesy of April Duda Photography
Photos courtesy of April Duda Photography
Photos courtesy of April Duda Photography
Art of the Fox Mural Series
2024
The Art of the Fox mural series is a collection of 10 murals located on the east side of the Jeffery D. Scheilke Government Center (100 N Island Ave, Batavia). Each work of art was designed and painted by a local artist with a goal to connect viewers to the beauty, importance, and diversity of the Fox River and the communities it runs through. Water Street Studios committee volunteers organized and executed logistics for the project. Fundraising efforts were made possible via a partnership with The Conservation Foundation. Special thanks to the City of Batavia and these donors for their support of the arts:
Hamill Family Foundation
W.C. 'Buzz' Miller
Nadler Golf
Linda Gray Sonner
Artists and titles of work (left to right):
Cherylyn Gnadt, “Chasing Fireflies”
Marty Gniech, “Great Blue Heron”
Lisa Holzl, “Monarch of Diversity”
Catherine Tilly, “Blue Sky Purple Bison”
Clara Brubaker, “Shallow Waters”
Kailey Rorer, “You Are Nature”
Sarah Engel, “A Matter of Flying”
CJ Hungermann, “WE RISE”
Jonathan Belair, “Portrait of a Fox”
Myra Miller, “The Great Flight”
Click the button below to hear artists discuss their work and what the project meant to them thanks to Areacode Audio.
Wave Petunia Mural
2023
A unique collaboration between a corporation and a community art center. Sponsored by Wave Gardening. Learn more here.