The Street Painting Festival in Oak Ridge today (Saturday, October 17) helps fund scholarships at Roane State Community College.
The theme for this year’s event is “HeART For Heroes.” The festival is being held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at historic Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. Chalking began at 8 a.m.
Materials and Chemistry Laboratory, Inc. (MCLinc) of Oak Ridge recently announced it is sponsoring the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge’s Street Painting Festival at the Platinum Level. The festival was launched in 2000, and this year’s event marks the 19th consecutive year that MCLinc has been a major contributor to the effort, a press release said. MCLinc is an applied research laboratory that provides analyses and consultation services in a wide assortment of fields, including environmental chemistry, industrial hygiene, and uranium chemistry.
Festival sponsors make a tax-exempt donation to the Roane State Foundation, providing funds for scholarships for Roane State students. Sponsorship levels include Platinum, or $5,000 and up; Gold, $2,500 to $4,999; Silver, $1,000 to $2,499; Bronze, $500 to $999; small business, $250 to $499; and individual, $100 to $249.
“We are proud to sponsor such a positive event that gives artists of all ages an opportunity to showcase their talent while honoring heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic and providing funding for scholarships for Roane State students,” said Barry Stephenson, MCLinc president/chief executive officer and vice chair of the Roane State Foundation Board of Directors.
“We wanted a theme that would be multifaceted—all the while appropriate for the current environment we are living in, inspirational for our artists, and a heartfelt gesture to honor the heroes of the COVID-19 global pandemic,” said Nikki Adkisson, community service chair for the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge.
Up to 60 artists can participate in the festival. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three artistic creations in six categories, as well as a best of show and people’s choice awards. Sponsors’ names are assigned to sidewalk squares, and the artists have until 5 p.m. on festival day to complete their chalk creations.
Donations can be made online at roanestate.edu/streetpaintingsponsor. Checks payable to the Roane State Foundation and noting that the contribution is for the Street Painting Festival can also be mailed to Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus, 701 Briarcliff Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, attention Sandy Vann.
Artist registration is available at roanestate.edu/streetpaintingfestival. Businesses and individuals interested in sponsoring the festival are encouraged to contact Sandy Vann with questions at [email protected], or at (865) 354-3000, extension 4802.
Roane State is a two-year college providing transfer programs, career-preparation programs, and continuing education. Founded in 1971, the college has locations in Roane, Campbell, Cumberland, Fentress, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, and Scott counties as well as a branch campus in Oak Ridge. For more information, visit www.roanestate.edu or call (865) 882-4554.
Remember, eligible adults can now attend Roane State tuition-free with the new Reconnect grant. Learn more at www.roanestate.edu/reconnect.
