Covington’s nineteen neighborhoods are unique and filled with characteristic charm and residents dedicated to making them better places to live.
With the sixth round of its Creative Community Grants, The Center for Great Neighborhoods (The Center) will focus on the needs of four different neighborhoods, and solutions from their residents.
The Center awarded grants totaling almost $25,000 focused on needs identified by residents in the Latonia, Lewisburg, Westside, and the Eastern Four (Helentown, Austinburg, Wallace Woods, and Levassor Park) neighborhoods. Neighborhood topics were the result of careful consideration by residents and community groups in collaboration with The Center. Grantees were selected by a panel of judges that included professionals in arts-related organizations, Covington residents, and a staff person from The Center.
”We made some changes to the Creative Community Grant program this round by giving each neighborhood the opportunity to identify their own issue to have artists address,” said Shannon Ratterman, Program Manager for The Center. “I think this created a unique opportunity to have artists really target their project and be guided by the inspiration from the neighborhoods.”
Creative Community Grant recipients and projects include:
Latonia
Recipient: wm. & wm. strategic design
wm. & wm. strategic design will work with the Latonia community to develop a brand identity for their neighborhood. By involving the Latonia community in the development process, giving them the right branding tools, and by providing dedicated guidance and mentorship, they will be able to raise the visibility of the neighborhood and heighten the sense of a strong and vibrant community.
Eastern Four Neighborhoods
Recipient: Patrick Dougherty
Ceramicist Patrick Dougherty will work with the neighborhoods to design and create markers for the Licking River Greenway trails that are personal to the neighborhood and mark access points.
Westside
Recipient: Lauren Difulvio Wolf & Ride the Cov
Bike enthusiast Lauren Difulvio Wolf and a growing initiative called Ride the Cov will work with the city to make Covington more bike friendly. In the short term this will include additional bike racks and bike repair stations, mapping, signage, and marked pathways for shared roads.
Lewisburg
Recipient: Ximena Flores
Mosaic artist Ximena Flores will work with the Lewisburg neighborhood to create a one-of-a-kind art installation for Father Hanses Park. Her process will engage residents of the neighborhood, let them influence the design, and ultimately have them help create the piece that will be permanently housed in the neighborhood park.
Recipient: Madcap Puppets
As an added bonus, all four of the neighborhoods will get to host a different performance from Madcap Puppets.
The Center’s Creative Community Grants are funded through a multi-year grant from The Kresge Foundation to implement creative placemaking activities in Covington. More information about Creative Community Grants can be found online at www.greatneighborhoods.org.
