Claremont Launches Downtown Art Walk

“The Art Walk is a community-led effort,” said Felicia Dalke, who chairs the Arts Commission and is the executive director of the Claremont MakerSpace. “All of the locations came together to produce this first phase with art that is already accessible to the public, and a few additions,” said Dalke. There is a mix of something for everyone from historic paintings and sculpture, to modern murals, to arts and crafts products made by area artisans, to high end artwork.

The city and makerspace collaborated for two years to plan the Art Walk. A logo competition was held in August and local illustrator Tabitha Randall’s submission was selected to represent the project. It will be on display on all the doors and lawns of stops along the route that include:

“120 years ago Claremont was the center of arts and culture in western NH. Art helps broaden your scope of understanding, particularly around the appreciation and importance of learning from our own history,” shared David Putnam, founder of Claremont Custom Framing and Art Restoration, and a longtime resident of Claremont. “Art plays so many roles in our lives. It allows us to express our creativity, and helps us relate to others - whether from other places or other times.” Through his career, David has made an impact on the artful lives of others in the region.

New art installations for this fall include a mural about Claremont by CMS Artist in Residence and illustrator John Garoutte. It will be installed on the exterior of the former Latchis Theater on Pleasant St., thanks to the support and approval of New England Family Housing. The Fiske Free Library is promoting their historic collection of art, and adding an exhibit by landscape artist Albert Bierstadt, with two of his butterfly paintings and paint box that are owned by the library and the Claremont Historical Society. The Common Man Restaurant will join T’s Coffee Shop as micro-galleries to promote local artisan work. Other downtown businesses including Claremont Custom Framing, The Apiary, Putnam’s Colonial Florist, and Downtown Gift and Thrift all sell art and crafts by local artisans. The remaining locations all have items for exhibit.

"When you connect art to people and places through open space, trails, streetscapes, and downtown city centers; the art and the conversation around it, become a meaningful activator for a community, and a driver for tourism, and economic development,” said Gina Gavan, Director of Planning & Development and Economic Development for the City of Claremont.

The Art Walk will use the GPS application theclio.com to lead visitors along the route. The application already has a Literary Walking Tour that was launched by the library in 2022. Clio was the natural choice to host the Art Walk, and members of the Arts Commission will be at the Claremont Fall Festival on Saturday, October 3rd to show people the application and promote the walking route.

If the Claremont MakerSpace is successful on a federal grant applied for this past summer, it will add 10 new public art installations along the route next summer that include murals, painted street scapes and kinetic sculpture. “One of the positive things about the Art Walk is that it costs the Claremont taxpayer nothing, while attracting more visitors to support our downtown businesses,” said Dalke.

Phase 1 of the Art Walk is supported by an AARP Community Challenge grant that was awarded to the makerspace in June. Walk audits are being conducted of the route to ensure it is appropriate and safe for all pedestrians. A report of findings will be presented to the Claremont City Council later this fall.

Claremont Art Walk Logo, designed by illustrator Tabitha Randall

For more information on this press release, please contact Felicia Dalke at felicia@TwinStateMakerSpaces.org, or call CMS at 603-504-3419.

TwinState MakerSpaces, Inc. is the parent company of the Claremont MakerSpace, and it is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. For more information about the Claremont MakerSpace or to schedule a tour, please visit: www.claremontmakerspace.org. The Claremont MakerSpace is located at 46 Main Street in Claremont, NH.