Tulagi Place Public Mural Project
General Info & Fundraising Campaign
Thank You for Your Support!
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all donors for supporting the Tulagi Place Mural Project. Your generosity has been pivotal in transforming this vision into reality, bringing art to our community and creating a lasting impact. Thank you once again for being a part of this journey!
Tulagi Mural Funding Goal
Overview
St. Mary’s County Arts Council (SMCAC), with the support of the Maryland State Arts Council, the Southern Maryland Folklife Center, and in conjunction with the St. Mary’s County Department of Recreation & Parks, is proud to announce the artist selected by popular vote - Tom Rogers!
The mural will commemorate Tulagi Place - a historic landmark from the time Lexington Park, MD, was created to support the community associated with the Patuxent River Naval Air Station.
Tulagi Place was the commercial and community center of the “instant city” of Lexington Park. The purpose of the mural is to beautify the southern wall of the Three Notch Theatre facing into Lexington Manor Passive Park and to celebrate the community’s past, present, and future.
The Lexington Park area dates back to the 1940s when the post-Pearl Harbor military response resulted in the US rapidly building military installations. Previous to the arrival of the US Navy to the area, a small, rural and water-industry community already existed, but the instant expansion dramatically changed St. Mary’s County, catapulting it into industrial prosperity.
Tulagi Place was the town center where families shopped, dined, and found postal and library services. Today, Lexington Park is one of the most diverse areas in St. Mary’s County, with residents who remember the area before NAS Pax River as well as populations who have settled since.
Once the center of commerce and community, Tulgai Place has been sold to a developer and is currently under construction to make way for new developments. This mural will commemorate the history and important role that Tulagi Place played in the lives of residents through the years.
The Lexington Manor Passive Park is the cornerstone of the revitalization effort to improve the Lexington Park community. The park hosts festivals, events, a disc-golf course, walking paths featuring fitness stations, a community garden, and more! The Passive Park is also a designated “Arts Park”. This mural project will be one in a series of art installations intended to re-center the space as a community jewel and point of pride.
Site Location
The location for the mural is the south wall of the Three Notch Theatre. Lexington Manor Passive Park is located on Three Notch Road, Lexington Park, MD near the intersection of Great Mills Rd. and Route 235, just outside Gate 2 of the Naval Air Station Patuxent River. It is an 80-acre park, developed in 2021. Learn more about the park here.
Budget
This project was made possible through a grant by the Maryland State Arts Council Arts Relief General Operating Support (ARGOS) funds, the Southern Maryland Folklife Center, and the generous support by our community funders and individual donors.
Community Funders
Click on the images below to learn more about our community funders!
A BIG thank you to a special anonymous sponsor who has donated $10,000 towards the mural!
Individual Contributions
Susie Glauner, Lisa Grossman, Will Hamilton, Bernard Matus, Gary Milburn, Dorothy Waters, and Katherine Zarzaca
Supported in Part by:
-
Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC)
The Maryland State Arts Council plays an essential role ensuring every person has access to the transformative power of the arts.
MSAC’s mission is to advance the arts in our state by providing leadership that champions creative expression, diverse programming, equitable access, lifelong learning, and the arts as a celebrated contributor to the quality of life for all the people of Maryland.
-
Southern Maryland Folklife Center (SMFC)
The Southern Maryland Folklife Center is dedicated to supporting activities that identify, document, or resent the living cultural traditions of Maryland’s diverse communities.
Located at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the Center has offered a variety of workshops and programs that showcase traditional art forms and help to preserve the unique heritage of the Southern Maryland Region, including St. Mary’s, Charles, and Calvert Counties.
-
St. Mary's County Arts Council (SMCAC)
The St. Mary’s County Arts Council mission is to invest in the arts and increase awareness of their value and how they can enhance the quality of our community and individual lives.
We strive to:
-Provide advocacy, leadership, and financial support to arts organizations and artists.
-Encourage new creative endeavors and partnerships between artists and organizations.
-Invest in local cultural treasures. -
St. Mary's County Recreation & Parks (SMCR&P)
St. Mary’s Recreation and Parks strives to be a leader in cultivating exceptional leisure experiences in our community.
Their programs and facilities provide an enriched quality of life for the community through the preservation of natural, cultural, and historical resources, enhancement of parks and outdoor spaces, and promotion of a variety of leisure experiences.
Project Timeline
Request for Qualifications deadline: December 15, 2023
Finalists notified by: January 4, 2024
The three finalists are as follows: Jamie Naluai, Tom Rogers, and Jack Pabis.
Presentation of proposals to Artist Nomination Committee: February 9, 2024
Opportunities for community feedback on three proposals by: February 24, 2024
Selection of final design by Artist Nomination Committee: March 8, 2024 The winner is Tom Rogers of Flying Rabbit Art!
Presentation of final design and award for the mural project to community, stakeholders: March 15, 2024
Installation process: Fall & Winter 2024
Ribbon cutting: Spring 2025 (day and time TBA)
Timing is subject to change, based on approval process.