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A rendering of Urban Artist Exchange's outdoor amphitheater off Walnut Street. Courtesy Architectural Alliance
PICTURE THIS Urban Artist Exchange reimagines a neglected city space By Ken Mammarella
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once-forlorn acre near downtown Wilmington is coming alive again with bicyclists, artists, community members and, this year, fans of live music — all in an environmentally friendly setting. The $3.4 million Urban Artist Exchange East Side Neighborhood Revitalization Project covers the block bounded by North Walnut, East 16th and East 15th streets and Clifford Brown Walk. The boldest component is an outdoor amphitheater with lawn seating for 700 to 800 people. Leading the project are Cityfest, a nonprofit known since 1980 for events like the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival and the Wilmington Art Loop, and the city of Wilmington itself. When asked why, Tina Betz, director of the mayor’s office of cultural affairs and president of the Cityfest board of directors, responded “Why not?” She added: “For many, many years, it was closed off and not usable unless you were doing something you weren’t supposed to be doing. It was littered, abandoned, overgrown.” No longer. ► JANUARY 2022 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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