1000 words: the 10th year Anniversary Celebration

10th Anniversary Event of “1000 words” and South Cobb Arts Alliance’s National Endowment for the Arts Grant with Reception at South Cobb Regional Library from 5-7pm on November 14, 2026

This year marks a time to celebrate the decennial of a remarkable career highlight for the Best of Cobb 2026 “Best Visual Artist of the Year” Miles Davis as well as South Cobb Arts Alliance and the South Cobb Regional Library (SCRL).

In its first 43 years, SCAA never applied to NEA for an award until 2016. The first effort earned SCAA the prestigious $20,000 project award. The resulting SCAA program, A Shared Community of Art: Reconnecting Artists, Art Educators, Families and Businesses, enhanced and strengthened our artists, art educators, students, and communities. And that was only the start of the remarkable changes and continuing effects of one of the 2016 SCAA projects.

Each project within the scope of the Grant public art helped to showcase the creativity in communities served by South Cobb Arts Alliance, but one project in particular was a game changer that would continue to generate interest and attention ten years later and beyond.

Miles’ “1000 words” art project, facilitated by an all-volunteer arts organization which focused on the need for art placemaking in the South Cobb Community, became a distinctive collaboration of art, literacy and library services.

Artist’s Public Art Project:  Working with the SCRL employees and SCAA volunteers, artist Miles Davis created a series of ten paintings unified by a theme of the importance of reading for young people fittingly called “1000 words.” Designed as paintings with mixed media components (including pages from discarded books) the resulting artworks are colorful, original and imaginatively eye-catching. The “Learning Ladder” painting from the series was purchased for Sewell Mill Library, where it remains on exhibit.

But the remaining nine paintings at SCRL created the most conversation in the community.  After the grant project ended, various donors purchased the artwork for permanent placement at SCRL.  Additionally, Miles will be unveiling a new painting for the “1000 words” series to be exhibited at SCRL along with the original series.

Now the library maintains and exhibits the “1000 words” art which helped create an impetus for more art experiences which SCAA and others carry forward today.

The SCRL is celebrating its 20^th year. The “1000 words” project has formed a standard for art to make the community stronger whether it is the vision, the planning process or the imagination of the artist forging a creative experience for all Library visitors.

And for SCAA, the NEA grant and the favorable recognition of “1000 words” helped redirect the organization into its current pathway of community connectivity and advocacy for the arts. We believe it has been a sustainable accomplishment.

Reception event:  November 14 from 5-7pm at South Cobb Regional Library. Open to the public.  Art on permanent display at this location.