PUBLIC ART PROJECT BRINGS BUTTERFLY SCULPTURES TO the city

LAKELAND, FL (November 7, 2005) – Butterfly enthusiasts define a group of butterflies in flight as a Kaleidoscope. The City of Lakeland will soon be releasing a group of butterflies to flutter along the historic streets of downtown.  A public art project entitled Kaleidoscope; Butterflies in Flight will bring large butterfly sculptures to Lakeland. This initiative is a fundraiser designed after the highly successful Swansation public art project which took place in 2002.

Kaleidoscope’s four to eight foot aluminum butterfly sculptures will be mounted on poles and displayed throughout downtown Lakeland. The butterflies will be transformed into unique works of art by local and regional artists.  This public art project is designed to enrich cultural activity and positively impact the Lakeland community through a uniquely different charitable event.  

Kaleidoscope; Butterflies in Flight is a fundraiser for the construction of CommonGround, Polk County’s first “inclusive play experience.” Children of varying abilities and disabilities will be able to play together side by side in a play environment.  The park itself will be in the shape of a butterfly – a symbolic representation of the individuality and unique character of every child.  It will be one of six such playgrounds in Florida and only one of these inclusive playgrounds is currently open to the public. The playground will be located in Edgewood Park near the corner of Edgewood Drive and Buckingham Avenue.

Sponsors of local businesses will purchase the butterflies and have local artists transform the aluminum structures into works of art.  Many of the butterflies have already been sold but sponsorship opportunities remain at two levels:  still available are Monarch sponsorships in the amount of $10,000 and Swallowtails in the amount of $4,000.  The three premier Emperor Sponsor level butterflies of $25,000 have already been sold to Central Florida Eurocars, Citrus & Chemical Bank and Publix Super Markets Charities.

The “Butterfly Bash” will showcase the works of art on October 14, 2006 in Munn Park before they are placed throughout the downtown area.  The butterflies will be on display in downtown from October 2006-April 2007.  At the end of the display period, selected butterflies will be auctioned at the “Butterfly Ball” on April 27, 2007.  Fifty-percent of the proceeds from the auctioned butterflies will go to a local charity of the sponsor’s choice.  The remaining 50 percent will go toward funding the CommonGround project.

For sponsorship information contact Donna Henricks or Pam Page at 834-6086 or www.kaleidoscopelakeland.com

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