Rescue Public Murals, based at the U.S. national nonprofit organization Heritage Preservation, will bring public attention to U.S. murals, document their unique artistic and historic contributions, and secure the expertise and support to save them.
The project was officially launched in December 2006. Assisted by a national committee of Advisers, including muralists, conservators, art historians, and public art professionals, Rescue Public Murals has established four initial goals:
- Create a database of individuals and organizations crucial to saving murals to establish a national network.
- Develop plans for identifying and documenting U.S. public murals and providing on-line access to them.
- Prepare a list of “10 Highly Endangered Murals” and assess the condition of those murals.
- Raise funds to continue Rescue Public Murals’ work of saving and documenting community murals.
While Rescue Public Murals recognizes the significant historic and artistic value of public murals within structures, the project’s initial priority will be murals that are outdoors and thus especially vulnerable.
Rescue Public Murals receives funding from the Getty Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Booth Heritage Foundation, and the Wyeth Foundation for American Art.
Co-chairs RPM
Dr. Timothy W. Drescher, independant scholar
Will Shank, independant conservator and curator. Will was also a founding member of INCCA North America.
Director RPM
Kristen Overbeck Laise of Heritage Preservation, Washington.
For more information visit the RPM website.