Smart Kinston City Project Foundation

WITH RELOCATION OF FIRST ARTISTS, SMART KINSTON HAS BEGUN TO SEE THE FRUITS OF ITS REPARATORY WORK. APPLICATIONS CONTINUE TO COME IN AS WE SHAPE THE ARTS AND CULTURAL DISTRICT INTO THE FOCAL POINT OF KINSTON'S REVITALIZATION EFFORTS. CONSTRUCTION ON ARTS RIVERWALK AND NEIGHBORHOOD ENTRANCE HAS BEGUN AND WILL SOON SOLIDIFY DISTRICT AS A DESTINATION.RECRUITMENT OF ARTISTS CONTINUES. PROMOTION OF PROJECT HAS RECEIVED MUCH LOCAL MEDIA ATTENTION, BUT SOON WILL GROW INTO REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE PUBLICITY AS SCOPE OF RECRUITMENT REACH INCREASES. CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES HAS BROADENED REACH OF RECRUITMENT EFFORTS. CONSTRUCTION ON PUBLIC ART ENTRANCE TO NEIGHBORHOOD IS COMPLETE AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH LEGACY NON-PROFITS HAVE LED TO PROCEEDS SHARING FROM LOCAL EVENTS AND JOINT INITIATIVES. THE ARTS COUNCIL, COOPERATIVE EXTENSION AND PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM COLLABORATING TO MAKE ENTRANCE PART OF SCHOOL CURRICULA. DONATION FROM COMMITTEE OF 100 SHOWS WILLINGNESS OF LOCAL LEADERS OF COMMERCE TO INVEST IN THE DISTRICT, WHICH THEY VIEW AS AN ARTS-BASED BUSINESS INCUBATOR. COMMUNITY COLLEGE PARTNERSHIP CONTINUES TO PROVIDE RESOURCE FOR ARTISTS STARTING THEIR FIRST BUSINESSES. CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM RESTAURATEURS AND OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS, BOTH FINANCIALLY AND THROUGH PROMOTION, HAS LED TO AN UPSWING IN TOURS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND CONVERSATIONS WITH ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT FUTURE PARTNERSHIPS.