Viewpoint: Arts put Colquitt on the map - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

If you paint it, they will come. A small south Georgia town turned to the arts to attract visitors, and their money, to town. And it's been a great success.

15 years ago Swamp Gravy, Georgia's official folk life play, premiered in Colquitt. A few years later, the town started a mural project that has blossomed.

The latest mural is monumental. It looks over the city from 100 foot tall silos. It covers nearly 27,000 square feet and honors the important role farming plays in local culture.

 It was unveiled recently during the 2010 Global Mural Conference that attracted participants from all over the world.

The art projects in Colquitt have done more than bring attention and people to town. They have brought the community together. The Swamp Gravy plays and murals on walls all over town are points of pride that are possible only because of the dedication of volunteers.

Colquitt is a wonderful example of how a unique idea and community cooperation combine to benefit a city.

Take a trip there, and it's a lesson you'll see looking you in the face from high above.