Wylie Arts Festival Leaving a Lasting Legacy

by Craig Kelly

Two hundred artists and crafters will share their handmade creations and unique items at this year’s Wylie Arts Festival. Some are influenced and inspired by their faith; some treasure the family time each piece represents. All are dedicated to their craft, and all will bring unique treasures to the Cross Church Event Center on Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is not only a great place to find that perfect gift, but it also has a lasting impact on the arts in Wylie.

Fifteen years and counting, the story of the Wylie Ar ts Festival began in 2009, with the first event held outdoors in Olde City Park. A beautiful December day welcomed larger-thanexpected crowds for the inaugural event. Attendees shopped a handful of vendors, enjoyed librar y storytelling, participated in cooking demonstrations, and enjoyed performances by local children’s dance groups.

City Secretary Carole Ehrlich and Public Information Officer Craig Kelly, working with the newly formed Public Arts Board, created the event with hopes to raise additional funds to install Public Art projects in Wylie. Since 2006, the City has dedicated 1% of capital improvement project fees to the Public Arts program, still there were several wanted projects with no funding source.

Based on the success of the Ar ts Festival, the Public Arts Board, Carole, and Craig, worked with the Wylie Downtown Merchants Association to organize and manage vendor booths for Bluegrass on Ballard. A portion of sponsorship money from the Arts Festival and Bluegrass on Ballard, along with 100% of vendor booth fees, are allocated to the Public Art fund. More than $400,000 has been raised through both events over the past 15 years.

Event-funded art installations can be found throughout the City of Wylie.

(1) The 6-foot-3-inch bronze sculpture “Heroes of Wylie,” created by artist Sid Henderson, depicts a firefighter and police officer standing side by side. The piece was dedicated on Sept 11, 2015, at the Public Safety Building, 2000 Hwy. 78.

(2) “Never Forget,” by Terrance Martin, pays homage to the 343 first responders who lost their lives on 9/11. The iconic aluminum structures that contain pieces from the World Trade Center people can reach in and touch, is located at Fire Station 4 on McMillan Road.

(3) Artist Robert Barnum created “Rescued,” an aluminum-andcorten-steel sculpture at the Wylie Animal Shelter on Hensley Lane that celebrates the bond between rescued animals and shelter staff, as well as those who adopt animals in need of forever homes.

The City Council recently commissioned several new sculptures for the Wylie Municipal Complex trail that celebrate the history of the Blackland Prairie and honor the indigenous people who cultivated the area years ago. In the coming months “Revery” by Katy Antill will be installed. “Sacred Fire” and “Ancestor’s Voice,” by Yoshi Wright, are currently in the planning/design stage.

We hope to see you in historic downtown Wylie this holiday season at the Wylie Arts Festival. Remember, it’s more than finding that perfect Christmas gift; it’s about creating a lasting legacy by supporting the ar ts in Wylie.

For more details on Wylie’s Public Art Program, including an audio and visual tour of our 13 public art installations, go to WylieTexas.gov/PublicArt. •