WAILUKU |
Developed through a 2018 Our Town grant by the National Endowment for the Arts, SMALL TOWN * BIG ART (ST*BA) began as a creative placemaking collaboration of the County of Maui and Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House / Maui Historical Society working to develop an arts district that celebrates the distinctive sense of place, history and culture of Wailuku, Hawai‘i.
Through ST*BA, professional artists are paired with community consultants to co-create visual, performance and experiential art installations that align with ‘ōlelo from Mary Kawena Pukui’s ‘Ōlelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings. The positive community response to the ST*BA pilot created a strong demand for this work in new neighborhoods. In 2020, Maui Public Art Corps was incorporated and granted 501c3 nonprofit tax exemption in 2021 to expand this work countywide. Today, ST*BA continues as a collaborative Wailuku Town initiative of the County, Hale Hōʻikeʻike and Maui Public Art Corps. Work done outside of Wailuku is funded through individual donations, charitable grants and public-private partnerships. |