Introduction The vision is to use our established art base to bring together residents and business owners to encourage cultural and economic growth. Growing Mid City as a true creative place puts us in a position to become a place exhibiting community pride and a destination for all to enjoy.

Cultural Assets and Opportunities Mid City Redevelopment Alliance, Baton Rouge General-Mid City and other associations are also strong supporters for moving community, culture and economic progress forward in Mid City. The Mid City Merchants Association offers many opportunities for businesses to collaborate creatively including hosting arts events throughout the year.

Cultural Assets and Opportunities The Mid City area of Baton Rouge has been prioritized for investment and growth among many strategic development organizations. Mid City has a lot of art related businesses including culinary and visual arts, printmaking, theatre, graphic design, architect and interior designer firms, and furniture-making shops.

Hot Art, Cool Nights and White Light Night provide local artists and art-related businesses an opportunity to showcase their work and gain new customers. Mid City has been designated by the State of Louisiana as a cultural district. Cultural Assets and Opportunities

The Baton Rouge General’s Arts in Medicine program brings creative activities to patients and family members through mediums such as painting, drawing, arts and crafts, music and more. Dufrocq School’s Artist Residency Program included students learning basic skills in the arts discipline in alignment with Louisiana Department of Education and the Louisiana Arts Content Standards Cultural Assets and Opportunities

Challenges and Opportunities Mid City Baton Rouge is filled with creative entrepreneurs, artists, and musicians but our streets and storefronts don’t always shine with this creative energy. We also need to bridge the divide between lower income and wealthier neighborhoods that make up the Mid City region. At the core of the creative placemaking plan is a goal to bring all neighborhoods together.

What do we hope to gain and accomplish? We are excited to bring together community, culture, and economic growth through the arts. We want to capitalize on our cultural assets and meet our challenges head-on through creative opportunities. Our creative placemaking plan summarizes a 3-phase 3-5 year strategic plan to do so.

Creative Placemaking Plan Mission Statement We will create an environment that facilitates a sustainable community connection by leveraging the tremendous cultural and economic diversity that exist within Mid City. Values Statement We will attract and retain talent by connecting the gems of our community.

Committee Members Joy Banks Juliet Lockwood Mary Ann CafferyDyke Nelson Laurie ChappleSamuel Sanders Myra CollinsDavid Savario Fairleigh Cook JacksonLiz Walker Dee-Dee CulottaTara Wicker Jennifer HallDiane Drake Kathryn Hunter Coach:Margaret Harmon Coach:Lisa Picone

Projects for Creative Placemaking in Mid City Our projects were developed from solutions which aimed to create a recognizable identity for Mid City, to foster youth development through the arts, and encourage economic vitality. All of which will lead to a better quality of life for the Mid City community.

Phase 1: Project:Mid City Gateway Mid City lacks visual identity. Although there are numerous arts and culture business and activities in the Mid City area, you may not be able to quickly recognize its cultural vibrancy. We want to develop a sense of pride among all of the neighborhoods that make up Mid City.

Phase 1: Project:Mid City Gateway We have planned to redevelop an unused metal structure to create a “Gateway of Mid City”.

The unveiling of this project will be the first opportunity to involve the community by inviting individuals out to celebrate this new marker and to introduce our vision for things to come. We will also cease the opportunity to get community input on the potential of future projects. Phase 1: Project:Mid City Gateway

Phase 1: Project:Mid City Arts and Cultural Tours Arts and Culture Guides We will begin highlighting the existing gems of the area and introducing our Create Mid City ideas to the community and area visitors by hosting cultural tours and developing tools to showcase artists work.

Phase 2: ProjectExpanding Arts Education We see great benefit in helping to grow arts education in the Mid City area. Our hope is to gain momentum with the Artist Residency program by finding ways to not only sustain the program at The Dufrocq School, but to bring it to many other schools within the Mid City Area

Phase 3: Project:Art Wraps of Light or Phone Poles or Posts (maybe trash bins) Project:Community Judged Art Competition We hope to develop a visual identity for the region so people will recognize when they are within the Mid City boundaries. We will provide local artists the opportunity to utility posts as a canvas of artistic expression. These poles will mark the boundaries of the Mid City area.

Phase 3: Project:Art Wraps of Light or Phone Poles or Posts (maybe trash bins) Project:Community Judged Art Competition Given the complexity of art wraps we will also consider paintings on trash bins and receptacles.

Phase 3: Project:Community Judged Art Competition We hope that all neighborhoods will be involved in this initiative either by collaborating with local artist to help identify the best option for their neighborhood, or by taking part in a community competition. The community competition will allow residents to judge which pole across the area provides the best neighborhood expression.