Who’s Involved? – The Charleston Missouri Landmark Project

Mary is the originator of the Charleston Project, as well as its primary funder. Her family has had long affiliations with Charleston, beginning with her great-grandfather, Joseph Moore, who drew up the town’s original plan in 1837.

Mary’s hope is that the commissioned work will be of such interest to all ages that it will attract an increasing number of passers-by on the nearby I-57 junction to help boost the local economy as a whole.

**Mary Moore Manley**
_{^{(Project Originator / Primary Funder)}}

Mary grew up in Charleston whose wonderful town library fuelled her love of books. This love of books led to a post-college job in a secondhand bookshop near Greenwich Village in New York – a job she had loved and never forgot even when circumstances changed.

After marrying an Englishman, Stuart Manley, some years later and moving to the North of England, Mary remembered the job she had loved, and in 1991, together with Stuart, opened her own secondhand / antiquarian bookshop in a magnificent former Victorian railway station in Alnwick. That bookshop, Barter Books, now attracts over 300,000 visitors a year.

Matthew Jarratt

Project Arts Consultant

Matthew is the Arts Consultant for the project and in summer 2024 Matthew visited Charleston to meet the steering group and to begin to structure the plans to develop an extraordinary public art project for the City.

Charleston Arts Advisory Group

An Arts Advisory Group has been established in Charleston to support and facilitate the project. The Steering Group is Chaired by local farmer and businessman Hudson Byrd

Charleston Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber has served the community of Charleston, Missouri, for more than 50 years. Counting 100 members and an active Board of Directors, the Chamber has accomplished great good for the community.

Charleston City Council

The City Council will own and maintain the completed artwork. The elected City Councillors oversee the work of three departments including Administration, Public Safety and Public Works

CHARM

CHArleston Revitalisation Movement

A community Not-for-profit organisation which has a mission to provide a platform for community involvement and increase economic vitality for Charleston, inspiring entrepreneurship, provide inter-generational activities, and joining with other groups to help Charleston thrive.