City of Tuscaloosa Receives Grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts for the Chief Tuskaloosa Plaza

Tuscaloosa, AL - The City of Tuscaloosa has received a $40,000 Creative Places Arts Facilities grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts for the Chief Tuskaloosa Plaza.

The Chief Tuskaloosa Plaza is a collaborative effort between the City of Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa County, The University of Alabama, Visit Tuscaloosa, and the Alabama Tourism Department.

Planned in cooperation with the Chickasaw Nation and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, this public space honoring the legacy of Tuscaloosa's namesake and one of our region's most significant historical figures will feature a 24-foot-tall bronze statue of Chief Tuskaloosa, created by nationally renowned artist Caleb O'Connor.

The Creative Places Arts Facilities program strengthens Alabama communities by providing grants for the construction, renovation, restoration, or enhancement of facilities where the public can participate in arts programming and educational activities. These investments are possible thanks to an appropriation from the Alabama Legislature.

The plaza will be located on Greensboro Avenue between Embassy Suites and Homewood Suites.

Throughout the space, educational storyboards will highlight the life and leadership of Chief Tuskaloosa, and the enduring contributions of Indigenous peoples to our region.

In addition to grant funding, the project is also funded in part by fundraising efforts of the 2025-2026 Leadership Tuscaloosa class of the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce and private donations.

About Alabama State Council on the Arts

Alabama State Council on the Arts is the official state agency for the support and development of the arts in Alabama. The Council on the Arts works to expand and preserve the state's cultural resources by supporting nonprofit arts organizations, schools, colleges, units of local government, and individual artists. Arts programs, assisted by Council grants, have a track record of enhancing community development, education, cultural tourism, and overall quality of life in all regions of the state. Alabama State Council on the Arts grants are made possible by an annual appropriation from the Alabama Legislature and additional funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. To learn more, visit arts.alabama.gov.