Greenville is poised to be the cultural hub of eastern North Carolina with assets like the Greenville Museum of Art, Emerge Gallery, the Billy Taylor Jazz Festival and East Carolina University’s strong performing and visual arts programs. Greenville is also home to Vidant Medical Center, the teaching hospital for ECU’s Brody School of Medicine, and the primary referral hospital of eastern N.C. City leaders recognize investing in the arts infrastructure of Greenville is key to attracting and retaining talent.

Greenville’s SmART project is the creation of a new urban art trail to connect visitors and residents to the cultural assets of the city. The planned Emerald Loop will intersect with existing greenways and the distinct city districts of Uptown Greenville, East Carolina University, the Tar River and Town Common Park, Vidant Medical Center campus, and historic neighborhoods. The City of Greenville was recently awarded a U.S. Department of Transportation BUILD grant that will support the physical infrastructure development of the loop. 

Artist team Haddad|Drugan was chosen by the Greenville SmART team to develop an arts overlay for the Emerald Loop, expanding pedestrian engagement through creative placemaking. Laura Haddad and Tom Drugan have spent several months meeting with community members and hosting events to learn more about Greenville and will present a conceptual plan for the Emerald Loop in Spring 2020.