Overcast skies on the Eastern Shore couldn’t overshadow the City of Fairhope’s ribbon cutting for its new Arts Alley on Friday, May 10, now officially open at 8 N. Church St..

Reaching its public unveiling after years of preparation, the Fairhope Arts Alley is nearly a $2 million investment into the downtown area, with the majority of that money, $1.2 million to be exact, coming from the Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Federal Highway Department. The project was originally awarded in October 2022, with completion having been expected since fall 2023.

The alley features murals, sculptures (made with antique pieces from World War II, Theatre 98, Saenger Theatre and other local donations), a chimney swift tower (built by the Eagle Scout Lanier Crew), reimagined electrical boxes, new lighting and more, all inspired by local creatives and community-wide support.

“We knew that increasing the aesthetic appearance of this area would also increase usage of the transit hub and parking deck, creating a space where people felt safe both day and night, something more to see and art to draw folks in,” Fairhope Mayor Sherry Sullivan said. “With the help of ESMPO; landscape Artist Christian Preus; Fairhope Single Tax Corporation; artists Hannah Legg, Bruce Larsen, Brock Larsen and William Legg; Coastal Alabama Community College students; local architect Rebecca Bryant; Eagle Scout Lanier Crew; and our city staff, I think we’ve accomplished all of that and more, and we are not done.

“You will continue to see upgrades and additional art added to the parking deck in the coming months with the help of the Arts and Crafts Foundation. Just like everything else in Fairhope, we are so fortunate to have our community partners to help us make Fairhope better and better through these projects.”