During this, our 50th anniversary year, we’re sharing 50 reason to celebrate Center for Neighborhoods — one reason each week. The posts come from different stakeholders in the organization, representing our past, present, and future.
We at CFN believe that art belongs to everyone and that everyone deserves beautiful spaces. It is that sentiment that fuels our community-driven public art program affectionately known as PAINT—Producing Art In Neighborhoods Together.
The Center for Neighborhoods PAINT program makes art accessible to all, and offers every neighborhood the opportunity to beautify itself through a collective process. When a neighborhood approaches us asking for help in securing public art, we kickstart a process that ensures every neighbor is able to share their thoughts and views on how best to enrich their community.
Asset-based community development is a core tenet of CFN, and that means that changes to the community start with learning from the neighbors first. The PAINT program centers local voices—we start by inviting every neighborhood resident to offer input on the art they’d like to see in their community, and we invite local Louisville artists to listen in before submitting proposals based on the input of neighbors. Artists are compensated for the time it takes to submit proposals, and neighbors self-select to form a committee that reviews the proposals for public art. The neighborhood steers the conversation every step of the way, and has the final say in which art and artist to welcome into the community.
PAINT is our most popular and successful program for a reason: because the voices of neighbors are prioritized, and because when all is said and done the community can see itself in the art they choose to bring into their space. If you ask us, that’s the foundation of all healthy development.
Would you like to see new public art in your neighborhood? Read more about PAINT and reach out if this process sounds right for your neighborhood.