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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The city of San Angelo has become a vibrant showcase |
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for the visual arts, featuring a variety of engaging public |
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artworks as well as a diverse mix of outstanding museums, |
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galleries, and studios; and |
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WHEREAS, The hub of the city's arts community is a 200-acre |
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cultural district along the south bank of the Concho River, which is |
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anchored by the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts; the recipient of a |
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number of prestigious national awards, SAMFA includes an extensive |
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permanent collection and also serves as the headquarters of the |
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Center for the Advancement and Study of Early Texas Art; in |
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addition, the museum sponsors an arts education program that draws |
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over 33,000 children each year, and it hosts several prominent arts |
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events: the San Angelo National Ceramic Competition, |
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EnPleinAirTEXAS, and the Richard and Pam Salmon Sculpture |
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Competition, which brings large-scale works to Sunken Garden Park; |
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other attractions in the cultural district include the Fort Concho |
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National Historic Landmark, which has served as the site of the |
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American Plains Artists juried exhibition; and |
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WHEREAS, San Angelo also boasts the Pop Art Open Air Museum, |
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which features free public works by Texas artists; the display is |
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organized by the Art in Uncommon Places organization, and that |
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group has partnered with Downtown San Angelo, Inc., to create |
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another outdoor site, Paintbrush Alley, to exhibit paintings |
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inspired by Texas culture and the classic motion picture Giant; |
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other public art projects include some 100 colorful sheep |
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sculptures found throughout town that have been painted by local |
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artists and the Historic Murals of San Angelo, which depict iconic |
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scenes related to the area's past; moreover, the city is one of only |
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three in Texas to have a permanent "Don't Mess with Texas" mural; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The dynamic arts community in San Angelo encompasses |
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nearly three dozen galleries and studios; more than 250 sculptures |
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and statues are displayed at local businesses, schools, parks, and |
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other locations, and the city is the site of such popular events as |
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the Chicken Farm Art Center Open House, which has taken place each |
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year for nearly a half century; and |
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WHEREAS, San Angelo's art scene has drawn statewide and |
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national attention from media outlets, including Western Art & |
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Architecture, Texas Highways, and True West magazines; a further |
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tribute to the city's cultural riches came in 2019, when the |
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European Union ambassador to the United States selected 32 pieces |
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of art on loan from the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts for display in |
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his home in Washington, D.C.; and |
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WHEREAS, The city of San Angelo has become an epicenter for |
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art lovers from across the state and around the nation, and its |
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unique concentration of talented artists, imaginative exhibits, |
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and an enthusiastic arts community make it truly deserving of |
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special recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby designate the city of San Angelo as the official Visual Arts |
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Capital of Texas; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section |
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391.003(e), Government Code, this designation remain in effect |
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until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally |
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passed by the legislature. |