WALLDOGS MURAL FESTIVAL - PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hundreds of Artists Gather in Rural Iowa to Paint Murals and Build Community - August 30 - September 4, 2023

Allerton, Iowa – The Walldogs Mural Festival will transform eight rural towns in Wayne County, Iowa. From August 30 to September 4, 2023, 200+ artists from 29 states and 6 countries are gathering in one of the smallest communities in Iowa. They will paint 16 murals featuring highlights from Wayne County’s past and present.

The Walldogs art movement is now international, but it started in Allerton, Iowa, in 1993. Local artist Nancy Bennett, working with other community leaders, saw an opportunity to beautify Allerton’s fading business district and invited 60+ artists to paint the town’s walls. Since that first festival, the Walldogs have grown into an international movement, gathering 1-2 times per year to paint all over the world.

“The connections artists make with other artists and the local community is what sets the Walldogs events apart,” Nancy Bennett said. “These events bring out the creative parts of people in the community as they see what’s being painted, and it’s really special to see how communities come together through the art festival. It’s also an opportunity for artists to find kindred spirits and learn from others in the art community.”

The Walldogs are celebrating their 30th anniversary with a new set of murals in Allerton and the surrounding county. Topics include Inez Voyce, a 1940s women’s baseball star from Seymour; Lyle Tuttle, the “granddaddy of tattoos” who tattooed Janis Joplin, Cher, and the Allman Brothers, born in Millerton; the Jesse James Bank Robbery in Corydon; the Mormon Trail’s passage through Wayne County; Allerton’s Chautauquas, which brought speakers like Helen Keller and Booker T. Washington to Allerton in the early 1900s; the Farm Aid movement; and more.

Wayne County is the sixth-smallest county in Iowa, with a population of 6500. The area has limited hotels and no rideshares or food delivery, which makes the community’s support even more critical.

“It’s incredible to see how the community is coming together to host the Walldogs,” said Sara Wampler, the festival committee chair. “People are opening their homes to host visiting artists. Local organizations are serving meals. It’s amazing to see these small towns rally together around a big artistic vision. Rural areas face a lot of challenges, but it’s inspiring to see a handful of people make an outsized impact and create lasting improvements.”

The public is invited to a welcome party on Wednesday, August 30 from 7-11pm at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Corydon, Iowa. The party takes place as the Walldogs are projecting their designs onto mural panels, and there will be drinks and snacks available for purchase. The public is also welcome to visit any day from August 31 - September 3 to see the murals as they are being painted.

After the festival, the murals will be installed in 8 towns in Wayne County. Mural trail maps, as well as education material and videos, will be available for tourists. More information can be found at waynecountydevelopmentcorp.com/walldogs.

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Contact: Sara Wampler, committee chair, waynecountywalldogs@gmail.com, +1-515-329-0816

Quick facts for the media: 

• Wayne County, Iowa, is hosting 200+ artists from August 30 - September 4, 2023.
• This is the 30th anniversary of the Walldogs mural movement, which started in Allerton, IA, in 1993. It has grown into an international art movement, painting in dozens of cities and countries worldwide.
• Wayne County is the sixth-smallest county in Iowa, with a population of 6,500. Town populations range from 1500 people in Corydon to 36 in Millerton.
• The number of artists and guests attending is bigger than Wayne County’s three smallest towns combined (Millerton: pop. 36; Clio: pop. 67; Promise City: pop. 88).
• Artists are coming from at least 29 US states and 6 countries.
• 16 murals will be painted. Topics include:
  • Inez Voyce, a star of women’s baseball in the 1940s, from Seymour;
  • Lyle Tuttle, the “granddaddy of tattoos” who tattooed Janis Joplin, Cher, and the Allman Brothers, born in Millerton;
  • The Jesse James Bank Robbery in Corydon; 
  • The Mormon Trail’s passage through Wayne County;
  • Allerton’s Chautauquas, which brought speakers like Helen Keller and Booker T. Washington to Allerton in the early 1900s;
  • The Farm Aid movement; and more.
• The festival is at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Corydon, Iowa, starting with a free community welcome party from 7pm - 11pm on Wednesday, August 30. Visitors are welcome every day through September 3 to watch the painters work.
• After the murals are painted, they will be installed throughout Wayne County.
• Visit waynecountydevelopmentcorp.com/walldogs for more information.