KCCI Announces 2019 Community Catalyst Class
KCCI Announces 2019 Community Catalyst Class
The Knight Creative Communities Institute announced its 2019 Community Catalyst Class that will bring the 2019 placemaking project, Red Hills Rhythm, to life. The project will enhance civic life and community connections by creating a unique interactive, musical influence in an area along FAMU Way. The Red Hills Rhythm project will engage the community and celebrate its musical history and achievements.
The 2019 members include: Brad Ashwell, Susan Baldino, Tatiana Daguillard, Emily Ely, Calla MacNamara, Kendra Mitchell, David Rictchey, Josh Saul, Jesse Taylor, Lauren Wallace, Dara Wilson, and Chelsea Workman.
“Each of this year’s Catalysts brings a unique background and skill set to the project,” said Betsy Couch, Executive Director of the Knight Creative Communities Institute. “Through their creativity and effort, they will create a new public space in Leon County.”
The Red Hills Rhythm project follows the 2018 TLH/iHeartTally project and University-Community Connectivity project. The TLH letters debuted in April and within a few months were No. 4 in Visit Tallahassee’s Top 10 Most Instagrammable spots list. The TLH/iHeartTally team leveraged public art to cultivate community pride and celebrate the area’s uniqueness while also creating a new urban space that is appealing to residents and vistors alike of all ages and backgrounds.
The 2018 University-Community Catalyst Class is helping bridge the gap between students at institutions of higher education and the greater Tallahassee area. They created a top-50 list of activities in the area, which is available to download for free at www.KCCITallahassee.com, and they are working with FSU, FAMU and TCC to host the 4thannual Experience Tallahassee Festival – Saturday, Jan. 12 at 4 p.m. in Cascades Park.
According to research by Assembly: Civic Design Guidelines, communities that have a strong civic connection through the design and maintenance of public spaces fare better in achieving four key outcomes: 1) Civic trust and appreciation, 2) Participation in public life, 3) Stewardship of the public realm, and 4) Informed local voting.
The 2018 projects and 2019 Red Hills Rhythm projects fit into KCCI’s broader vision of enhancing sense of place in Leon County to help attract and retain young professionals and members of the creative class. By executing yearly “sense of place” initiatives, KCCI aims to grow the city’s population of creative minds and agents of change. Past KCCI projects include Get Gaines Going, Cultivate Cascades, the Frenchtown Farmers Market, and many more.
For more information on what KCCI is accomplishing in the Tallahassee community, please visit https://kccitallahassee.com
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Knight Creative Communities Institute (KCCI) Tallahassee: Founded in 2007, the Knight Creative Communities Institute (KCCI) brings together a diverse group of Community Catalysts who implement sense of place projects that help retain, attract, and harness talent while increasing entrepreneurship and enhancing Tallahassee’s economic mobility.