Arts
Public art in Centennial Park, the Bessemer Bees mural, and how local artists can submit work.
Be Creative
The City of Bessemer City embraces the arts as it is a vital component to improving quality of life for citizens, businesses, and visitors. Public art in Bessemer City includes a combination of local artists and commissioned works. It is the City’s goal to continue developing public art projects that embrace our rich culture and emphasize the community’s bright future.
Juneteenth Art in Centennial Park
In January 2023, the City of Bessemer City began an initiative to commemorate Juneteenth through original artwork created in celebration of the community’s Juneteenth Festival, held on June 16, 2023. This effort marked the beginning of a tradition of recognizing Juneteenth through art and community expression in Bessemer City.
View this year’s Juneteenth Art Collection
Public Art in Centennial Park
Centennial Park includes community art work ranging from local professionals to aspiring artists from Bessemer City High School. Works have been displayed in the park since its renovation in 2016. This public art wall is a rotating canvas of local works.
Interested in submitting your work? See Submit Your Work below.
Bessemer Bees
Commissioned in 2020 by local artist, Allan Potter (Instagram: @ThePaintedWalrus), the Bessemer Bees mural introduces pedestrians and motorists as they make their way into downtown Bessemer City along Virginia Avenue. The mural is located beside the City Hall Annex (125 E. Virginia Avenue).
The mural portrays a gathering of honeybees working to collect pollen from sunflowers at the base of Crowders Mountain. The mural depicts a honeybee’s work ethic, dedication, and resiliency. Honeybees work together for the betterment of the colony; the same is true for past, current, and future citizens that call Bessemer City home.
Bessemer City, as described on our Then and Now page, was established because of textiles and mining. Both trades require teamwork and dedication. The same is true for honeybees, working together to make things better.
To explore more about the importance of honeybees, visit www.ncagr.gov.
Submit Your Work
Bessemer City is always open to receiving your artwork for public display consideration. As funds allow, the City will continue to invest in public art.
Currently, we are accepting local artists’ works for Centennial Park.
To submit your piece(s) for consideration, call City Hall at 704-629-5542.