The call went out, and the responses rolled in. In July, Akron Area Arts Alliance (a Knight arts grantee) announced a Juried Mural Competition for a public art project to decorate the wall of Akron Design & Costume, a local masquerade and year-round costume shop. In doing so, the AAA aims to bring public art into a portion of the city without much – or any.

According to Rob Lehr, gallery curator and preparatory for AAAA, several individuals and a few groups submitted ideas for the main thrust – to feature the suburban area of Portage Lakes. The winner was to receive a stipend to help complete the work.

“The wall has been plain white for years,” said store owner Deborah Meredith, who has been in the year-round costume business since 1980, before adding that it is time to change all that. The idea behind the project was just to have “a fun and artistic project to help brighten up the community.” According to Lehr, several artists came back with the idea of masquerade costumes, given the project’s primary sponsor – but with a backdrop that localized the scene to this specific area. One group in particular stood out to the four-person committee: the artistic team from west Akron’s Firestone High School, under the leadership of art teacher Patrick Dougherty. As Lehr noted, Dougherty brought more than just a design; he brought a team of artists when he proposed letting advanced art students participate in the project.

“We love the idea of high school kids being involved with a community art project,” said store owner Meredith. It helps the young artists, as well. What a chance to have their work shown early in their careers.

Dougherty has been teaching for more than 31 years, with 22 years in Akron public schools. His artwork has been displayed in other public projects (in Firestone Park Library and Children’s Hospital). His experience gives him the know-how to make all this work.

So collaboration was abounding for this project – the region, a business, an arts group and local students. All it needed was to be even more terrific by being good and solid art. Lehr commented that that problem is solved, as the community will be able to see for itself when the “Grand Reveal” takes place in the store parking lot from 12-3 p.m. on Saturday, October 4.

Art students have been working hard to complete the project by that time, according to Lehr.

Portage Lakes public art project, mural. Photo courtesy of Akron Area Arts Alliance

Helping out as part of Dougherty’s artistic team is Mengyu Yu, originally from Kaifeng, China. A fellow teacher at Firestone High School, she has had her artwork recently exhibited in Washington, D.C., for the 2014 Congressional Art Competition. Each spring, the Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district.

The students will certainly benefit from this experience. So will the community when it has a finished and quite striking public art space in its midst. The store will be helped along too. Most people think of costume shops only being open around Halloween, when all the parties are. Not this one; it’s a year-round venture (there are lots of theater groups in the area requiring costumes), and the bright wall will draw motorists’ eyes on the busy street passing by this particular spot.

The finished Portage Lakes mural will have its grand reveal from 12-3 p.m. on Saturday, October 4. Light refreshments will be served at Akron Design & Costume, 3425 Manchester Rd., Akron; 330-644-0425; www.akrondesign.com and www.akronareaarts.org. Admission is free.