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Showcasing the Future of Bennington
The Better Bennington Corporation is raising funds to highlight student artists in our Beautiful Downtown. We are soliciting art from Elementary through College students to adorn our new Downtown Street Banners and we need your help to make that happen!
The Design Committee for the BBC works judiciously to help create a more welcoming and vibrant Downtown with streetscapes and more. We just finished the scoping project for the Walloomsac River Project and we assisted the Town of Bennington with the successful Downtown Transportation Grant application to bring the project to life. Other past projects include the Park at 336 ("Pocket Park"), the Putnam Square Kiosk, Downtown Wayfinding Sign Design, Holiday Decoration Designs, and much more.
We decided it is time for new Street Banners as they only last so long. We were thinking of ways to include the community and decided that student art is the perfect way to engage everyone – students, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends.
With your support we can bring art and joy to everyone who visits and works in Downtown Bennington.
We are currently soliciting artists with the hope and belief that YOU will help us to fund the project!
We have selected a group of people from the community to jury the submitted artwork. There will be a total of 48 pieces chosen for the banners. However, ALL submitted art will appear on our website with the name, school, and age of the student. We will have a ceremony to unveil the banners, to celebrate the chosen artists, and to have them sign their banners before they fly above our beautiful downtown. Where your money will go:
- Paying for the production of the banners
- Marketing of the project
- IF we can raise enough funds, each chosen student will receive $100 Downtown Dollars to spend with our downtown merchants
- Awarding one lucky artist with a $200 gift certificate, from a blind drawing, to Jay's Art Supplies
- If you are one of the first people to donate $200 or more you could be the recipient of one of the banners when it reaches the end of its shelf life
Nothing gives one greater pride in their home than contributing to how that home looks to others. Downtown belongs to all of us. Let's take pride in our students artwork and show it off to our visitors.
The best part? The State of Vermont has agreed to match every dollar donated up to $4500 at a 2:1 rate! That's HUGE and means that every dollar donated is actually THREE dollars!
What these banners will mean to our downtown
These banners are a way to show our community members and visitors alike that we care about how our town looks, that our merchants are surrounded by tasteful décor which in turn helps to showcase them, that we support our area youth in their artistic abilities, and that we support the idea of community and family engagement. If we are able to create enough talk and support around this project and raise $4,500 before May 10th, we will be the recipient of a 2:1 "Better Places" grant! That would be an achievement to be shared and celebrated!
After all, it is not just for downtown, it is for OUR town!
How YOU Can Help
Of course, we hope you will donate what you can but you can also help by sharing our campaign! Tell your friends! Tell your kids' teachers! Share on social media!
Every dollar counts. Even if you can't "Adopt" a banner, you will know that you contributed to a student's pride, to downtown's look, and to the community coming together to work on something special.
**If you prefer to give offline by check please make/drop mail donations to Better Bennington Corporation, 215 South Street, Bennington, VT 05201 with Banner Project in the memo. **
**If you have questions or inquiries please contact Jenny Dewar at events@betterbennington.com or Jeanne Mintrone at operations@betterbennington.com**
Thank you so much! We couldn't do this without you!
8/8/23 7:55 PM
Sharing the artwork
Hi Amazing Donors!
I have started to upload all the art that was submitted for the Street Banner project onto our website. I will upload ten a day for the next several days. Enjoy!
Warmly,
Jenny Dewar
Director of Events
7/6/23 9:20 PM
Unveiling of the Street Banners
Bennington, VT July 6, 2023 – The new Downtown Street Banners featuring art by Bennington area students will be celebrated with an "unveiling" on Friday, July 7 at 7:30pm at the corner of Main Street and Putnam Square (North Street). Please join us by the Kiosk and the Clock! This event is free and open to the public.
Congratulations to:
Addison Baker, Kali Basil-Adriance, Avery Beagle, Addy Bowen, Ashton Boyer, Francis Brondino, Sheila Burgess, Rillie Burns, Ellie Coyne, Eli Ellis, Alice Foster, Evan Frey, Matthew Gatesk, Fisher Gauthier, Sawyer Grikstas, Raynon Grikstas, Jonathan Harrington, Lauren Hudson, Ben & Jennifer Jareckie, Penny Jenle, Ingrid Kline, Rome Kolakowski, Lily LaCroix, Rylee Lacroix, Penelope Lamoon, Mollie Lorette, Oakley Loveland, Khiley Lyons, Collin Matteson, Viggo McClellan-Dennerline, Dakota McGowan, Clare McKenna, Sloane McKenna, Gemma Murphy, Addison Myers, Gabriel Newbold, Eli Nofziger, Magdelana O’Donnell, Lilith Olson, Lando Perry, Althea Radocchia, Eleanor Radocchia, Bailey Smith, Sojourner Thorne, Kaidence Vosburgh, Kenlee Wade, Anna Walker, Carter Willette
The above 48 (including one team) artists will receive their $100 Downtown Dollars at the ceremony.
To view the map of the banner locations, download the DISTRX app and click on events!
ALL 121 talented kids will have their original artwork displayed in the auditorium of Mission City Church from 5pm - 9pm. They will also be able to claim their Bringing You Vermont ice cream vouchers at the BBC info table starting at 5pm. Finally, we will also hold a drawing for all kids who submitted for a $200 Gift Certificate to Jay’s Art Shop & Frame Gallery.
(Main Street from North to Silver will be closed from 4pm - 9pm for First Fridays to begin at 5pm.)
The banner project, spearheaded by the Design Committee of the BBC, was funded by a Better Places Grant with $4500 raised via crowd-funding and a $9000 match by the state. The art was juried by a wonderful group of volunteers: Jackie Berry, Martin Mahoney, Edie Sawitsky, Jonah Spivak, and Ahmad Yassir.
Thank you to the phenomenal donors who helped to make this happen:
Joanne B Prouty, Shannon Barsotti, Jackie Berry, Colco, Inc., Jeanne Conner, Jared Newell, Jenny Dewar, Jacqueline Evans, Timothy F Wheeler & B C Condon, Amber Fisher, Anytime Fitness, Lynne Fonteneau, David & Lorraine Fredrickson, Jonathan Cooper, Hawkins House, Joan Gilpin, Kristen Hayes, Marie-Pierre Huguet, Gary J. Corey, Jeannie M Jenkins, Lucy K Baldwin, Michael Keane & Edie Sawitsky, Kris Koziol, Nancy Koziol, Deborah and John Larkin, Mikaela Lewis, Jeanne Mintrone, MSK Engineers, Scott O’Connell, , Knapps - Music, Toys & Hobbies, Rose Marie Pelletier, Susan Plaisance, Christiana Salem, Chaila Sekora, Jonah Spivak, Beth Tegart, Kristin W Reed, Amelia W Silver, and three anonymous donors! A special thanks goes to Coggins Auto Group for coming in with a large donation to get us to the finish line.
Remember. "It's not just downtown, it's OUR town!" 
***
The mission of the Better Bennington Corporation is to lead and support public and private efforts that enhance downtown as the vital commercial and cultural heart of the community.
The Better Bennington Corporation (BBC) is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion and believes these fundamental principles inform and strengthen the BBC's ability to respond to changing demographics and the needs of all who live in, work in, or visit Downtown Bennington.
6/29/23 9:14 PM
Street Banner Unveiling
Thanks to YOU, the street banner project is nearing its completion! The contest happened. The winners were chosen. The banners are printed. The kids get informed tomorrow. Thank you thank you thank you!!!
And...
The Better Bennington Corporation is launching a trio of First Fridays on Friday, July 7 on Main Street between Putnam Square and Island Flavor. The street will be closed with games, outdoor restaurant service, sidewalk sales, and buskers. Please refer to the event page on the website: www.betterbennington.com for a list of sales and specials. This event is FREE and open to the public.
While the footprint is just a small piece of Main Street, all our downtown merchants are, of course, welcome and encouraged to participate!
Each First Friday has its own identity/theme. For the July date, we will celebrate the "unveiling" of the new Street Banners at 7:30pm with art by the 48 students whose pieces were chosen out of 121 submissions.
The banner project, spearheaded by the Design Committee of the BBC, was funded by a Better Places Grant with $4500 raised via crowd-funding and a $9000 match by the state. The art was juried by a wonderful group of volunteers: Jackie Berry, Martin Mahoney, Edie Sawitsky, Jonah Spivak, and Ahmad Yassir. Each chosen artist will receive $100 Downtown Dollars at the First Fridays celebration. The location map of each banner and the artist will be unveiled that afternoon on the DISTRX app. We also plan to hold the drawing for a $200 gift certificate. All the artists who submitted art are eligible to win!
All of the kids who submitted art will receive a coupon for an ice cream cone or cup from Bringing You Vermont starting at 5pm. We will have the coupons and the list of kids at the info booth.
If you would like to be a busker for tips only, please contact Jenny: events@betterbennington.com.
5/11/23 3:52 AM
Campaign Ended
5/2/23 2:27 PM
Reached goal
4/5/23 3:54 PM
Campaign Started