Alcatraz East Crime Museum Announces Winners of 4th Annual Graffiti Art Contest

Photo courtesy of Alcatraz East Crime Museum: William Love – Aileen Carol Wuornos Portrait

Alcatraz East Crime Museum announces the 4^th Annual Graffiti Art Contest winners. The winners of the 2022 contest include William Love, Daniel Lafrate, and Julia Bridges. Each of the three artists won a cash award for their artwork. The contest is held yearly in the museum’s parking lot, with the public invited to watch to shed light on the type of art found in society.

“Congratulations to the winners of our annual graffiti art contest!” says Summer Blalock, sales and marketing manager at Alcatraz East Crime Museum. “We are thrilled to be able to offer this contest to the community each year. We look forward to hanging these pieces in our gallery for guests to check out.”

The 4^th Annual Graffiti Art Contest winners, the topic of their artwork, and the amount awarded are:

1st Place – William Love, Serial Killer Aileen Carol Wuornos Portrait, $1,200

2^nd Place – Daniel Lafrate, How choices dictate your future, $800

3^rd Place – Julia Bridges, Police Brutality, $500

The winning artworks were chosen by a panel of judges, including Richie Catlett from the Pigeon Forge Police Department, Amy Warner from The Island in Pigeon Forge, and from the Alcatraz East Crime Museum, the general manager Ray Seals, and the artifacts manager Ally Pennington. The annual event was sponsored by Moonshine Mountain Coaster, The Island Pigeon Forge, and Dazzle Events and Delights.

“We would like to thank everyone who came out to participate in the art contest and support the artists along the way,” adds Blalock. “We are already looking forward to doing it again next year.”

Alcatraz East Crime Museum will also open a new temporary exhibit that features one of the most notorious crime couples in the country’s history, Bonnie and Clyde, later this month. The exhibit will be open through September 2024 and features several original objects that will be on display, including a 1st Edition Copy of Fugitives: The Story of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker by Clyde’s sister Nell Barrow Cowan, an original Bonnie and Clyde “Wanted” poster, tile from Lancaster Bank, which is the only bank the Barrow gang robbed in Texas, and Clyde Barrow payroll slips.

Additionally, the museum recently opened an exhibit called “Master Manipulation,” which focuses on providing numerous examples of how criminals manipulate others for personal gain. It shares information about manipulation involving abuse of power and circumstances, manipulation in cults and groups with extreme beliefs, and human trafficking.

The museum has over 100 temporary and permanent exhibits about crime in the country. The museum features information and artifacts about the history of crime, crime scene investigation, consequences of crime, crime-fighting, counterfeit crimes, pop culture, and more. There are numerous popular items on display for people to see, including the famous white Bronco from the O.J. Simpson chase and Ted Bundy’s famous Beetle.

Alcatraz East Crime Museum has updated its board of crime experts that includes Derwin Bradley, a retired master police officer, James R. Knight, a crime writer, Robin Maynard, a certified crime scene investigator in Florida, Derek Newport, a law enforcement veteran who was with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for 20 years, and Judge Belvin Perry, Jr., who presided in the notorious case against Casey Anthony, among others.

This top museum is open at 10 am daily. The last tickets are sold 60 minutes before closing. These interactive experiences are available for birthday parties, school groups, scouts, team building, or other special events for an additional fee. For more information about tickets, discounts, and all the museum offers, visit the site: https://www.alcatrazeast.com.