Park Ridge mural restoration effort gets $3K boost from arts grant

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Three recipients of grants from the Park Ridge Cultural Arts Council include: Anthony Borrelli, of the Mural Restoration Committee; Guy Huff and Penny Ruder, of Park Ridge Chorale; and Pat and Tom Schuler, of the Park Ridge Art League. | Contributed photo

Updated: February 20, 2012 8:11AM

The Park Ridge Cultural Arts Council recently provided three local organizations with funding to support projects or programs celebrating the arts in the community.

The Mural Restoration Committee, which is raising money to restore a historic mural that once hung in the former Park Ridge Post Office, at 164 S. Prospect Ave., was the recipient of a $3,000 grant from the Arts Council. The money will be used toward the restoration the “Indians Cede the Land” mural, which depicts the sale of Potawatomi land to settlers and was one of more than 1,000 paintings and sculptures commissioned by the U.S. Treasury Department between 1934 and 1943 to decorate federal buildings across the country. The mural will eventually be displayed inside the Park Ridge Public Library.

According to committee member Anthony Borrelli, $23,000 has so far been raised toward the restoration effort. Members need $38,000 to cover the total cost of the restoration, which the committee hopes will be complete by December 2013, when the Park Ridge Public Library’s centennial anniversary is celebrated, Borrelli said.

Also receiving a grant from the Park Ridge Cultural Arts Council was the Park Ridge Chorale. The choir received a $3,000 gift to be used to retain a brass ensemble that will accompany the chorale during an annual holiday concert at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Park Ridge. Additionally, the Park Ridge Art League received a $1,500 grant to support the promotion of the 60th anniversary of its Art Fair at Hodges Park this June.

According to the Cultural Arts Council this was the first time in the organization’s 14-year history that it was able to contribute 100 percent of the funding requested by applicants. The maximum amount funded under the Arts Fund Program is $3,000 per applicant.

The grants were awarded Jan. 10.