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Donation aims to preserve public art in Muskegon

The $50,000 donation will create a fund to keep the city's public art collection looking good for future generations to enjoy.

MUSKEGON, Mich. — A $50,000 donation was gifted by philanthropist Patrick O'Leary to the City of Muskegon in hopes of preserving the city's public art collection. A fund will be created to care for the artwork.

O'Leary has previously donated to the city to support the Muskegon Public Art Initiative, which has installed six new works of art in the last three years.

"Muskegon is making great strides, and I know that the public art collection throughout the city is contributing to this dynamic vitality," said O'Leary. "I am happy to be able to help ensure that Muskegon’s great art is preserved, and I am confident in this city team to take care of it.” 

The preservation fund will keep the city's art collection looking good for future generations to enjoy.

"They are absolutely treasures of our city," said Mayor Stephen Gawron of the artwork, "and some of them over 100 years old so we have an excellent treasure trove of art from past ages to the present and we want to continue to grow that presence for that cultural wealth of this community."

The fund will be used to assess 12 bronze sculptures throughout Muskegon in September.

"It is so vitally important for the city to be good stewards of these marvelous public art works, and the latest O'Leary gift of a public art preservation fund will keep these community treasurers for generations to come," Gawron said.

Muskegon's public art collection started 121 years ago when Charles Hackley commissioned works for Hackley Park.

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