The Juneteenth unveiling of a new public art installation and launch of the new Levitt AMP Vicksburg Music Series in Vicksburg, Mississippi, was recently featured in The Vicksburg Post.

“In the Key of Freedom,” a sound sculpture by artist Kevin Caron, pays homage to Vicksburg’s history as an important location during the Civil War, as well as its deep connection to the blues, a Black musical tradition that informs Vicksburg’s cultural identity. The unveiling on Juneteenth—a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States in 1865, at the close of the Civil War—makes these historical connections especially poignant. Presented by the Heritage Guild of  Vicksburg-Warren, the event will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by the inaugural Levitt AMP Vicksburg Music Series concert—featuring a performance by Memphis-based gospel soul duo, The Sensational Barnes Brothers.

This joint installation and concert series is made possible in part due to an exciting new partnership between the Levitt Family Foundation and the Mississippi Arts Commission. The initiative combines a public art grant with a multi-year Levitt AMP matching grant to create vibrant community destinations activated by music and art.

“Unveiling this work on Juneteenth gives the sculpture even greater meaning,” said Heritage Guild of Vicksburg-Warren board member Shelley Hall Tingle. “Vicksburg holds an important place in the story of freedom, and this piece gives our community a new way to reflect on that history while celebrating the art, music, and culture that continue to bring people together.”

Chris Rials, a co-lead for the Levitt AMP Vicksburg Music Series, described the way in which this new installation, alongside the free concert series, is transforming Washington Square Park. “This project is exactly what public art should do—it tells a story, invites conversation and gives people a reason to gather in the heart of the community. Washington Street Park is becoming a place where history, music, art and community come together, and ‘In the Key of Freedom’ will be a lasting part of that experience.”

The Levitt AMP Vicksburg Music Series will run from June 19 through November 7.

Read the full story here: “Vicksburg’s newest art installation will be unveiled on June 19,” The Vicksburg Post.