How Community Art Projects Became a Small Town Summer Tradition

For the past three years, Small Town Summer has dedicated space to Community Art Projects that have become permanent fixtures near Warren G. Lineberry Park, marking a tradition that has quietly become a staple of the annual event series.

The tradition began in the summer of 2024 after donations from many local businesses. Morgan Grimm, her family, and other attendees of Small Town Summer worked to cut out and decorate the letters of "FLOYD" and affix them to the side of the Handmade Music School, facing the Lineberry Stage.

In 2025, the Community Art Project grew and required more technical skill: the Gaga Court project took eight sheets of plywood to create, and eventually turned into a chalkboard mural. While the background was completed by hundreds of community members, a small group of local artists added the finishing touches of a textured black paint, and chalk is often used by local children to “complete” the art. Eventually, the rain washes it away, and they get to begin again.

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This year's project started a little later in the Small Town Summer season than is typical, but has already drawn community members together. After receiving donated lumber, the McKagan family created four benches for the community to paint during the two final concerts in the park (Aug. 13 and Aug. 27).

Grimm, who is one of the organizers of Small Town Summer, said, “I am so grateful there is another Community Art Project this year for Small Town Summer. Floyd has a wealth of local artists who could each, undoubtedly, take a blank canvas and create a masterpiece, but that isn't what the community art projects are — they aren't solo masterpieces, they are like mosaics. Literally hundreds of people have contributed and left their creative mark on the Gaga Court, the FLOYD sign, and now these benches. The mystery of what they will turn out like and who will contribute is the novelty. However, doing it together is the magical part.”

Anyone who wants to participate in the last community painting of the year, Thursday, Aug. 27 will be your chance to leave your mark. Small Town Summer events start at 6 p.m. The music lineup for that night is Jesse Smathers and Nick Goad, followed by the SWVA Honky Tonk All-Stars. Admission is free at Warren G. Lineberry Park.