Twelve sites around Greenfield have been identified as historically significant to the abolitionist movement, from the home sites of those involved in the anti-slavery push to rumored areas of Underground Railroad activity.

One of those locations was the former home of William “Billy” Elliot, a merchant and insurance salesman who offered a place of refuge for slaves fleeing southern captivity. Others include the homes of George T. Davis, one of the founding members of the Franklin County Anti-Slavery Society. These locations and others were featured in a 2021 tour of the city, highlighting Greenfield’s ties to the Underground Railroad and the abolitionist movement.

By spring, the city hopes to highlight each of these 12 sites with sidewalk murals that help to inform residents and visitors about the city’s connection to this piece of history. The 48-inch-by-48-inch murals at each site will be funded through a Making It Public grant, which offers artists/teams a $1,000 stipend for each mural they create.

“We’re kind of leaving it up to the artists to go in any direction they’d like, but it would be a painted mural on any square of sidewalk … near the [site],” said Greenfield Economic and Community Development Assistant Christian LaPlante.

Those interested in applying to be a participating artist can attend an information session via Zoom on Tuesday at 6 p.m. To register, visit tinyurl.com/ArtWalkGreenfield. Interested applicants can also submit questions about the project to makingitpublic@greenfield-ma.gov by Jan. 12 at 4 p.m. Questions submitted via email and proposed during the info session will be answered by Jan. 19.

Artists will be selected by a review committee consisting of local historians, Cultural District Committee members and a Greenfield Human Rights Commission member, according to an announcement from the city. The committee will review submissions based on the criteria listed in the pre-application.

“Sidewalk artwork will allow passersby to spontaneously discover the legacy of Greenfield abolitionists like George T. Davis — essential local history that may otherwise go undiscovered,” LaPlante said.

In addition to the $1,000 for those who are selected, there will also be a $100 fee paid to artists to create an initial mockup of their art. The remainder of the $15,000 grant will be used by the city to buy special non-slip paint for the murals and to print flyers.

“The info session would be very helpful to people,” he said. “If they’re on the fence about participating, they’ll be able to learn about the project and what it entails. They will definitely have the support of the local historians to help them figure out what kind of art they’d want to install.”

Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter (X): @MaryEByrne.