The latest mural in Tullahoma, situated on the side of Minuteman Press, is not only one of the over 20 murals found in Tullahoma, but it is also a part of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail.

The project, managed by nonprofit organization DMA-events, is part of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail Mural project, a collaboration among the Tennessee Distillers Guild, Tennessee Whiskey Trail, South Central Tennessee Tourism Association and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development (TDTD). In addition, the mural was also sponsored by the City of Tullahoma and the Arts Council of Tullahoma.

The mural was officially dedicated on Wednesday, April 8, at Minuteman Press, where representatives from the city, Arts Council, DMAevents, Tennessee Whiskey Trail, Experience TN and the Tullahoma Area Chamber of Commerce were on hand to cut the ribbon on the mural.

“Public art like this does something powerful; it brings people together. It creates a sense of place and gives both residents and visitors a reason to pause, take it in, and connect with the story of where they are,” Chamber Executive Director Hope Nunley said. “This mural will not only enhance our landscape, but will also strengthen our identity as a destination. We’re grateful to the artists and to DMA for all of their hard work on this.”

Ryan French, CEO of South Central Tennessee Tourism Association, said the Tennessee Whiskey Trail Mural Project was started a couple of years ago when it was brought to TDTD as a way to enhance the whiskey trail in a way that celebrated art, history and process. He added that TDTD funded the project along with a matching grant.

He also thanked the Tennessee Whiskey Trail for embracing the program.

“We’re in the home of Tennessee whiskey country, right in the middle of Lynchburg and Tullahoma with George Dickel and Cascade Hollow and everything that’s happening down there,” French said. “To be able to draw people into town with an economic incentive and an extra stop on the trail, that’s a real answer that the Whiskey Trail has allowed for us to take advantage of, and we’re excited for that.”

French thanked the Arts Council for being the matching funder for the mural, and said they couldn’t have done it without them. He also thanked Derick Mann of Minuteman Press for letting them use the building as a “wonderful canvas,” adding that the location was great, as many people driving by on Jackson Street will see the mural.

French then introduced DMA-events President Kristin Luna, who shared that the nonprofit started in 2018 to help build more tourism assets in towns like Tullahoma. She said DMA-events have done more than 75 murals across Tennessee, adding that this mural was the 21st mural in Tullahoma.

“We’ve focused strongly on the South Central area because this is where we live and we call home,” Luna said. “For this project specifi cally, it was very cool to get to collaborate with our friends at the state and also the Whiskey Trail.”

She explained that the mural has different components that tell the story of the whiskey-making process without it being an “in your face” glass of whiskey.

“We wanted it to be family- friendly, available and accessible to everyone,” Luna said.

She then talked about the artists who were commissioned to work on the mural, Painter Hayes, a Georgia-based mural duo comprising artists Sarah Painter and Cosby Hayes. She explained that they were able to translate the whiskeymaking process into the oak leaves, trees, acorns and the different pollinators that it took to bring the whiskey to life. She added that the mural also showcased the seasonal shifts with a bumblebee, which was both a nod to Jack Daniels’ honey and the importance of the different pollinators that help bring whiskey to life.

Luna thanked Alderman Matthew Bird for his role in the city government to help sponsor the mural, and thanked the Arts Council for getting involved.

“It was nice after 20 murals to finally get to do one with the city,” Luna said. “Thank you guys for being here and for dedicating this mural.”

Charity Tooms, Executive Director at Tennessee Whiskey Trail, followed and said she and Tennessee Whiskey Trail was excited about the installation of the mural in Tullahoma.

“The birthplace of Tennessee whiskey being within your region is a huge focus us, and something from the Trail’s perspective that we want guests to truly immerse themselves in those communities that have made our whiskey famous, but it continues to be the place where people want to go to experience it,” Tooms said. “This is really for us just a continuation of the story that we in invite guests to leave the distillery doors and partake in the communities and destinations that truly make our distilleries and our spirits unique.”

The final speaker was Melanie Beecham of TDTD, and she said the mural was a really cool project of partnerships and collaborations, which was what TDTD loved to see.

“What we love is the creativity with it, but also connecting the dots for visitors,” Beecham said. “This is a community-to-community project, and we can give visitors a reason to stay longer in your community. Residents get to enjoy the beauty of this all the time, but we love it because this is a draw for visitors as well.”