In partnership with the Rotary Club of Douglas County, The Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville/ Douglas County (CAC) recently added to its public art initiative with a new project -- a Free Art Box on the grounds of the Cultural Arts Center in Douglasville.

The colorful crayon box full of Free Art to be shared with the community was inspired by Little Free Libraries. The Free Art Boxes offer a place to give and receive free art and supplies. This new creative trend is rooted in the same magnanimous spirit as the Little Free Libraries, but instead of books being shared, it is pint-sized art, including paintings, drawings, pottery, yard works, doodles, and even painted rocks. The concept is simple: Leave small art, take small art, or just enjoy. Our hope is that these Little Free Art Boxes will inspire the love of art, provide opportunities to create and meet someone new, and encourage appreciation for the arts in Douglas County.

The purpose of public art is to enrich the community and improve our quality of life through enriching the environment, igniting the imagination, and encouraging thought. Public art benefits the community through placemaking, bringing people together, and can be used as a tool in economic development. Public art can also strengthen personal connections to one’s community.

In another project, the club donated 400 backpacks sporting the Rotary logo to a local agency that supplies food every Friday to elementary students in need. Volunteers with A Gift of Love fill the backpacks with non-perishable food items and send the backpacks home with students so that they have food to sustain them through the weekend. The students return the backpacks every Monday to be repacked for the following weekend. The Rotary Club of Douglas County is proud to partner with A Gift of Love on this important program which takes place throughout the school year.