13 Insta-Worthy Pieces of Public Art in Macon, GA

Posing with art pieces makes a great Instagram shot, and the public art scene is thriving in Macon, Georgia. Every year, new artists add sculptures, murals, and other pieces to Macon’s public art offerings, creating a beautiful backdrop across the city. Whether you’re planning a trip or are a lifelong resident, here are 13 Insta-worthy pieces of public art in Macon.

Welcome to Macon Mural

The Welcome to Macon Mural is found on the back of the Visit Macon Downtown Visitors Center and is the perfect place to welcome everyone to Macon, Georgia. The mural invites visitors looking for information about everything Macon has to offer and reminds locals to take the time to explore and visit their hometown. Colin Penndorf created this mural, which you can see when you walk down the alley and duck behind the visitor center building. The mural includes iconic Macon features, such as the Cherry Blossom Festival and Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park.

Stamp Bear

Heatherly Wakefield (Darnell) and her then-fiancé, Eric Wakefield, created Stamp Bear and designed it to look like it’s covered in postage stamps. You’ll find Stamp Bear across from the U.S. Post Office in Macon in Washington Park. Each stamp features cultural icons, historical figures, and other local treasures. Stamp Bear is aesthetically pleasing and educational, as you can use it to learn about Macon’s rich history through each stamp.

Heart of Friendship

In 1975, the Heart of Friendship was created at Georgia Steel in Macon as a gift from the YKK Corporation. The YKK Corporation crafted the piece to show its appreciation for the support and friendship extended by the community of Macon. This 12-by-12-foot steel sculpture is the perfect background for a photo with your friends or family. You can find the Heart of Friendship at 305 Coliseum Drive in Macon.

Young Pan

You’ll find the Young Pan sculpture in a pond designed by Robert W. Brown at the Museum of Arts and Sciences. This 3-foot sculpture was created in 1987 through funding from a gift from the Middle Georgia Art Association. Young Pan represents the carefree spirit of the fields, woods, and water, embodying vigor and youth.

Georgy Award Sculpture

The Georgy Award is given to inductees to the former Georgia Music Hall of Fame and is created annually by Tiffany’s. A giant replica of this award can be found at 300 Mulberry St. in Macon, Georgia. The Georgia Music Hall of Fame was previously located across from the sculpture on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., which is why the piece is located here.

NewTown Macon Compass Rose

Located at 394 Cherry St. in Macon, Georgia, the NewTown Macon Compass Rose is an engraved granite and brick compass rose used to commemorate the 1999 Picture Campaign by the NewTown Macon Organization. Each donor’s name is engraved in this memorial as a token of their generosity.

Otis Redding Sculpture

The Otis Redding Sculpture was added to Gateway Park in 2022. This sculpture commemorates the music and memories of Otis Redding by continuously playing more than 15 of his greatest hits. The music playlists change each season, so you will always hear something new when you visit the Otis Redding Sculpture. Bradley Cooley and Bradley Cooley Jr. created the sculpture by using molds of Otis’ brother, Luther, and his two sons, Lester and Otis Jr.

Otis Redding moved to Macon at age 5, where he began his musical career in the Vineville Baptist Church choir. Redding played with Little Richard’s former band, the Upsetters, before his solo career took off. You can find the Otis Redding Sculpture at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Macon.

Ronald McDonald House Mural

The Ronald McDonald House Mural provides you with a photo wall to use as a backdrop for your selfies and group photos. The colorful drawings give your Instagram photos the perfect pop. Take a picture against the mural to feel like you’re a part of the scene, and share your appreciation for the Ronald McDonald House.

Peace Sculpture

At 588 Mulberry St. in Macon, you’ll discover a sculpture of a hand in the well-known peace sign, with the first two fingers forming a V-shape. Alex Mendez created the Peace Sculpture and several other pieces featured in the Macon Sculpture Walk.

Macon Yards on Poplar Street

Walter Hood, a professor of landscape architecture at the University of California Berkeley, helped design the Poplar Street Yard in Macon as part of an urban revitalization project. The 180-foot-wide street was transformed into a mixture of plaza, park, and street with an obelisk from the Confederate days at the center. You can find Macon Yards on Poplar Street at 400 Poplar St. in Macon.

All Natural

Jenn Garrett created the sculpture known as All Natural as part of the Mercer University Art Department public art program called “Art in the Park.” You can find this outdoor sculpture in Tattnall Square Park for your Insta-worthy poses.

Chewy

John Clement used twisted forms of brightly painted tubular steel on this one-of-a-kind sculpture. Clement has created several similar sculptures all over the globe, and each has its own loops, sizes, and shapes. Chewy features red tubular steel in the shape of half loops, and you can find it on the Heritage Trail in Macon.

Macon Sculpture Walk

You’ll find various sculptures in downtown Macon as part of the Macon Sculpture Walk, a public art program that began in 2018. Each year, new sculptures by new artists are added to the sidewalks of Macon. For 2022, four new artists unveiled four new sculptures. The sculptures can be found on Milk Boulevard, Third Street, Cherry Street, Second Street, First Street, and Cotton Avenue.

Our Riverside Ford team hopes these 13 public art pieces give you plenty of backdrop options for your Instagram account. If you’d like to add a photo of you in a new Ford vehicle, stop by to see us at 2089 Riverside Drive in Macon. Our sales team is available from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, closing at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Call us at 478-464-2900 or complete our secure online form to get started. We’d love to set you up for a test drive in an Insta-worthy Escape, Explorer, or F-150.