A new cycle of artwork has begun on the Augusta Sculpture Trail with 10 new pieces having been installed in January.
This project of placing sculptures throughout the city began in 2021, and eight pieces from earlier cycles have been bought, making them permanent fixtures on the trail.
In total, there are currently 18 pieces available for viewing on the route which runs from the Augusta Common and along the Savannah River to the Fifth Street Pedestrian Bridge.
A new way to interact with art on the trail
The new set of sculptures aren’t entirely ready for a ribbon-cutting – an event that Greater Augusta Arts Council Gallery and Public Art Director Heather Dunaway says will come in the spring, potentially in April after Master’s week; First, the new pieces must receive their information plaques, an undertaking set to be completed in February.
These plaques are special in that they will include QR codes for viewers to scan, giving them a deeper look at the inspiration behind each piece, sometimes even being able to listen to recordings of the artist speaking.
This QR feature is made possible by Otocast, an app that will also provide a map of the entire art trail.
Enhancing the Augusta experience
Dunaway said the Greater Augusta Arts Council hopes to encourage local artists to view the city as a growing art scene.
“We’re trying to build that arts platform to have more work for our working artists that live here,” she said.
“When you experience public art it’s a very uplifting thing,” she added. “When you are out and about walking and you stumble upon a very beautiful sculpture or mural it kind of elevates your experience of being downtown. I think as a whole, it really just makes Augusta an arts destination.
