Contact: Vanessa Silberman
Senior Director of
Communications
& Strategic Initiatives
213.201.6106
vanessa@levittpavilions.org
For Immediate Release
Middlesboro
Wins Grant to Present Levitt AMP [Middlesboro] Music Series
$25K in matching funds will bring free outdoor concerts
to Pop-Up Park on Cumberland Avenue
$25K in matching funds will bring free outdoor concerts
to Pop-Up Park on Cumberland Avenue
December 15, 2014
—Today, Levitt Pavilions named Middlesboro as one of 10 small to mid-sized
cities across America to win a Levitt
AMP [Your City] Grant Award of $25K in matching funds to present a free
concert series at a pop-up park on Cumberland Avenue, currently a vacant gravel
lot. In an effort to inspire and engage communities across the country around
the power of creative placemaking, Levitt opened the selection process to the
public to choose the Top 20 Finalists.
In July, Levitt Pavilions—the national nonprofit
behind the largest free concert series in America—invited nonprofits,
and municipalities partnering with a nonprofit, to submit project
proposals that would reflect the three
goals of the Levitt AMP awards: Amplify
community pride and the city’s unique character; enrich lives through the power
of free, live Music; and illustrate
the importance of vibrant public Places.
Discover Downtown Middlesboro partnered with Southeast Kentucky Community &
Technical College to submit their Levitt AMP proposal.
Before and after photos of the proposed concert venue on Cumberland Ave. Credit: DDM.
The public voted on the proposals over a
four-week period in November, selecting their favorite projects online at http://amp.levittpavilions.org.
"We are thrilled to announce the Levitt AMP
Grant Awards winners. Each made a compelling case for how the Levitt
AMP Music Series will activate a public space and strengthen the social and
economic fibers of their communities," says Sharon Yazowski, Executive
Director of Levitt Pavilions. "The Levitt AMP [Middlesboro] Music
Series will transform a vacant gravel lot into a vibrant destination, bringing
the community together and building upon downtown revitalization
efforts."
We invite you to make Levitt AMP [Middlesboro] Music Series a success. Whether you are an audience member who wants updates on the series, or a potential volunteer, sponsor, or performing group, all you need to do is fill out this form (http://goo.gl/forms/zYOpBGihpp)!
The 10 winners hail from historic small towns
like Cleveland, MS; Middlesboro, KY; Sheboygan, WI; and Denison, TX; to
mid-sized cities spanning the country in Anchorage, AK; Trenton, NJ;
Bellingham, WA; Charlottesville, VA; Lafayette, LA; and Frederick, MD. Each winner
will present 10 free concerts featuring a diverse lineup of high caliber
entertainment in 2015 as part of the Levitt AMP Music Series, for a total of
100 Levitt AMP concerts.
Below is the full list of Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Awards winners
(in alphabetical order):
Anchorage, AK
ADP (Anchorage Downtown Partnership) Community
Services will present the Levitt AMP [Anchorage] Music Series to infuse energy
into Town Square Park, bringing momentum to the city’s revitalization efforts
and enriching residents’ lives.
Bellingham, WA
The Downtown Bellingham Partnership will present
the Levitt AMP [Bellingham] Music Series in two locations—at the underused
Maritime Heritage Park and on Bay Street, expanding upon their efforts to use
the arts to revitalize and improve their downtown.
Charlottesville, VA
WTJU radio station will enliven IX Art Park, the
recently launched public art park in the heart of Charlottesville's Strategic
Investment District near UVA, bringing together the city’s diverse populations
and enriching community life through the Levitt AMP [Charlottesville] Music
Series.
Cleveland, MS
Delta State University Foundation will present
the Levitt AMP [Cleveland] Music Series to invigorate the underutilized Green
Space on the Crosstie Walking Trail at College Street, honoring the Delta’s
rich musical legacy in conjunction with the historic launch of the GRAMMY
Museum Mississippi.
Denison, TX
Denison Main Street Inc. will strengthen its
city’s social and economic vitality by expanding the much loved Music on Main
concert series in Heritage Park, a centrally located series that celebrates
inclusivity, engagement and accessibility through music, to become the Levitt
AMP [Denison] Music Series.
Frederick, MD
The Downtown Frederick Partnership will
present the Levitt AMP [Frederick] Music Series to activate the underused
Carroll Creek Park Amphitheater and celebrate local culture, providing
residents with a place to gather and enjoy a diverse mix of talented emerging
artists.
Lafayette, LA
The Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority
will bring new life to The Park at the Horse Farm with the Levitt AMP
[Lafayette] Music Series, reinvigorating this beloved undeveloped piece of
Cajun Country recently saved from commercial development by a community-wide
effort.
Middlesboro, KY
Discover Downtown Middlesboro will transform a
centrally located vacant gravel lot on Cumberland Avenue into a gathering
space, using the Levitt AMP [Middlesboro] Music Series to bring residents
together and augment the city’s community-driven revitalization of downtown.
Sheboygan, WI
The John Michael Kohler Arts Center will bring
life to a new public space on the site of a former Boston Store, using the
Levitt AMP [Sheboygan] Music Series to bring diverse audiences together and
create a vibrant, public space in the city’s downtown core in need of
rejuvenation.
Trenton, NJ
Trenton Downtown Association will use the power
of the Levitt AMP [Trenton] Music Series to enliven the unused and historic
Capitol Green public space, igniting community pride in the State’s Capital and
encouraging residents to engage with the city’s rich cultural and historical
offerings.
In addition to the monetary award of $25K each
in matching funds to produce the 10 free concerts, Levitt AMP winners will
receive the Levitt AMP [Your City] Toolkit containing valuable resources to
help them successfully produce their concert series. Funding for the Levitt AMP
[Your City] Grant Awards is made possible by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt
Foundation, a private family foundation. Learn more: http://amp.levittpavilions.org
***
About Levitt Pavilions
Levitt Pavilions is a national network of
outdoor music venues presenting the largest free concert series in America.
Levitt’s celebrated signature program of 50+ free concerts annually at each
Levitt venue is tailored to large cities with metro populations of over 400,000
(due to financial sustainability and audience development considerations).
Signature locations include Los Angeles
and Pasadena, California; Westport, Connecticut; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Memphis, Tennessee; and Arlington, Texas—collectively serving
more than half a million people annually through 300+ free, family-friendly
concerts. Each Levitt venue is its own 501(c)(3) Friends of Levitt nonprofit
organization, presenting 50+ free concerts every year featuring acclaimed,
emerging talent to seasoned, award-winning performers in all music genres. Due
to accelerating interest from cities and engaged citizens, the Levitt program
is growing. Developing Levitt locations across the country include Denver (opening 2016) and Houston (opening 2017), amongst other
cities. Learn more at http://www.levittpavilions.org and http://www.amp.levittpavilions.org.
About Discover Downtown Middlesboro
Revitalization efforts gained greater intensity
and focus in 2012. The organization acquired a major 27,000 square foot
building downtown to renovate. The project is in the pre-development stage now
and the desired outcome is to include residential housing on the upper floors
and civic/community use on the ground floor. Groundwork is being laid to
restore the historic canal that passes through town, as well as to create a
walking and biking trail that connects the downtown with the nearby Cumberland
Gap National Historical Park. Learn more at http://www.downtownmiddlesboro.org.
