New Photo by Steve Schulwitz The unity mural on the side of Thunder Bay Theater brightens up Alpena’s northside on Tuesday. The mural was made through the Alpena Downtown Development Authority Fresh Wave project, which has led to three murals being painted. There could be changes to the program this year, which could lead to more and smaller murals being made downtown.

ALPENA– The Alpena Downtown Development Authority’s Fresh Waves project led to the creation of three murals that have become a significant part of the landscape in the city.

Now, a change to the program could have several smaller murals painted, rather than seeing another large mural painted on a local building for the time being.

At the DDA meeting Tuesday, Marketing and Outreach Coordinator Kingsli Kraft explained to the board how the program would work. She said canvases which measure about 8 feet by 5 feet in size, would allow for more art to be created, and more artists to be featured.

The paintings would also be portable, so they could be moved from one place to another if needed.

They could be reused, so they could be cleared and updated from time to time.

Executive Director Anne Gentry said in the last two years, the DDA has had to scramble to find a place for a new mural, after property owners changed their minds about having them on their business.

She said the new format would help alleviate that potential outcome. She said it is likely more large murals could be added downtown down the road.

Gentry said there is a chance money could be saved by having smaller murals painted. She said there could be more local artists who could do them, instead of hiring someone from out of town, who charges the DDA.

“It should only take them a few hours or just a day, so we wouldn’t have to pay for lodging for them like we have had to in the past.”

Gentry said she would like to have four mural panels at the harbor in Alpena, and believes the new format of Fresh Waves will begin this year.

The three murals are located at the side of the Thunder Bay Theater, at Family Enterprise Embroidery, Inc., and Salon 125.

In other business, president Mike Mahler, who is also the economic development director for the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce, said the latest round of state funding for small businesses has been sent out. He said in the five-county region established by the state, there were 329 applications submitted for a piece of funding.

Mahler said 198 of the applicants received funding, including 59 from Alpena. The average allocation was $10,000, he said.

A committee of representatives from each county reviewed the applications and decided who received funding and how much. Mahler, the chambers, or Target Alpena did not have a say in the decision making process. It did work with the state for distribution of the funds.

Mahler said a list of the businesses who received funding, and the amounts, would be released by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation in about a month.