B.A.N.G!
Beautification Art and Neighborhood Growth
Objective
Providing a social gathering place for West Louisville and people from diverse backgrounds as a safe, positive environment, immersed in art and creativity. A peaceful place for an inclusive community with access to gardens, open spaces, trees, paths, stages, activities. International artists will facilitate artistic projects with the local community. Installations co-created with concerned citizens
Community
Design
Usability
Usability
Visibility
Visibility
CONCLUSION
The BANG! Project has reached the end of the fall season, and everything is up and growing with living perma-sculptures, birdhouses, awesome signs, rain barrels, and gardens that have added so much color to the neighborhood.
01
Over the summer, youth living in the Portland neighborhood created perma-culture-inspired raised bed garden planters and sculptural installations that have been placed along the Portland Avenue corridor, between 15th and 22nd streets. The project was facilitated through a collaborative partnership between the Center for Neighborhoods’ PAINT Program (artist and Portland Resident, Hallie Jones), the Louisville Visual Art Association’s Open Doors Program (artist and Portland Resident, Aron Conaway), the Portland Promise Center (Youth Development Coordinator, Angel Gustavison) and Grasshoppers Food Distribution Services (gardener Lindsey Ofcacek)—and was funded by the Cralle and Norton Foundations.
02
Judy Schroeder from the neighborhood association said about the project, “Portland Now, Inc. is very happy to say that a season of art on Portland Avenue has enlivened the experience of Portland Avenue with new neighborhood interest and eliminated the random dumping of trash, besides promoting urban gardening on city streets. We are very proud of the young artists and their sponsors.
03
In the Spring the Portland Promise Center arranged for several groups of volunteers to clean up the north side of Portland Avenue between 18th and 22nd Streets in preparation for the project. In the Summer, the Youth Group along with several kids from the Parkway Place area worked at the Center’s warehouse to design thirteen artworks, and for 7 weeks-built sculptures from reclaimed trash and junk found on the side of the roads. Finally, the young artists all installed their own “No Dumping” signs and “perma-sculpture” creations to beautify the stretch of road that is often victim to year-round dumping. Next Spring these artful “perma-sculpture” raised beds and artful hanging pots will feature a new crop of edible, native plants, new worm composting bins, new birdhouses to complete each habitat, and rain barrels that were donated by MSD.
The groups are hoping that neighborhood residents from the area will join in to help organize care for the crops, maintain the fence line and keep the area clean.