A swarm of giant fiberglass bees is on its way to downtown Salt Lake City, with two sculptures already built and five more under construction for a project that aims to turn Main Street into a walking tour of the capital’s neighborhoods. The effort, called Bees Around the Block, calls for seven bee statues in all, one representing each of Salt Lake City’s council districts, each one painted with a design meant to capture what residents love about their part of town.
The idea came from Landon Krasik, described as a city artist and community organizer, who pitched the concept to the Downtown Alliance and the Salt Lake City Arts Council, according to KSL News. Krasik has said the city’s neighborhoods are unique but can feel hidden or unappreciated, and that the bee designs can show visitors the diversity of Salt Lake City’s neighborhood cultures. The project itself, described on The Blocks Arts District’s website, says the goal is to place a series of fiberglass bee statues throughout downtown Salt Lake City and create a walkable gallery of the city’s neighborhoods in the heart of downtown.
Salt Lake City approved roughly $30,000 for the project, which covered half the cost of the seven sculptures, per the same KSL account. Statues.com and Industrial Concrete offered to cover the other half through in-kind donations. Two bee sculptures have been constructed so far, with one temporarily placed outside the Anderson-Foothill Library before it’s relocated, while the remaining five are still under construction and expected to begin appearing on Main Street throughout the winter.
Funding the Paint Job and Gathering Design Ideas
Getting the bees built is only half the job — painting them is its own expense. Project planners have requested funding through Salt Lake City’s Arts, Culture, and Entertainment grant program to cover painting costs, which the report notes require an additional $14,000, split evenly between artist fees and supplies…