LEADERSHIP AUGUSTA ARTS DAY

November 10, 2022

LEADERSHIP AUGUSTA ARTS DAY November 10, 2022

CHAIR Brenda Durant, Greater Augusta Arts Council, Executive Director

CO-CHAIR Kristi Jilson Sykes, Westobou, Executive Director

COMMITTEE Karen Gordon and Rhian Swain

PARKING Old Academy of Richmond County, 540 Telfair Street, Augusta, GA 30901 OR

Municipal Building, 535 Telfair Street, Augusta, GA 30901

8:00 am Coffee and light breakfast

Tour Annex Studios

8:30 am Welcome from Brenda Durant and Kristi Jilson Sykes

8:40 am Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield County, Wayne O’Bryant

9:30 am Past and Present of Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art (GHIA), Heather Williams

9:50 am Split Group into 3, Walk to GHIA/Berkshire Guitars/Municipal Building Gallery

10:00 am Group 1: GHIA, Group 2: Berkshire Guitars, Group 3: Municipal Building Gallery

10:20 am Group 1: Berkshire Guitars, Group 2: Municipal Building Gallery, Group 3: GHIA

10:40 am Group 1: Municipal Building Gallery, Group 2: GHIA, Group 3: Berkshire Guitars

11:00 am Meet Bus at GHIA

11:10 am Depart for Julian Smith Casino

Cliff Notes: Public Art Tour featuring Sculpture Trail, Storm Drains, Electrical Boxes, Westobou Walls,

Jessye Norman Community Garden Mural

11:30 am Arrive at Julian Smith Casino

Greater Augusta Arts Council’s Arts Day Luncheon

1:00 pm Depart for Jessye Norman School of the Arts (JNSA)

1:30 pm Arrive at JNSA

Art Education for Young People and the Community, Gary Dennis

2:00 pm Story and Performance, Niki Haris

2:20 pm Walk to Humanitree House

2:25 pm Arrive at Humanitree House

Augusta’s Art and Music Community, Karen Gordon

2:45 pm Depart for Morris Museum of Art (Morris)

3:00 pm Arrive at Morris

Welcome, Kevin Grogan

3:10 pm Alzheimer’s Workshop, Matt Porter

3:45 pm Museum Tour

4:00 pm A World Without Art, Edward Rice

4:30 pm Depart for Old Academy of Richmond County

4:40 pm Drive to Westobou Gallery, 1129 Broad Street

5:00 pm Welcome to Westobou, Kristi Jilson Sykes

Reception

5:30 pm The End.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 24, 2022 – Augusta  GA USA

Mayor-Elect Garnett Johnson & Host Committee launch Food Truck Family Fridays in South Augusta on July 29.

 Mayor-Elect Garnett Johnson & Host Committee are thrilled to announce Food Truck Family Fridays - a new community event launching on July 29 and continuing every month throughout the fall. The event features an array of food, beverage, & dessert trucks; live music and DJs, and activities for the whole family – a feel-good event to bring the community together.

 Food Truck Family Fridays will take the place of the weekly Friday Wind Down, which Johnson hosted at his South Augusta offices at 4102 Windsor Spring Road in Hephzibah, Georgia. Each week from April through June, Johnson’s campaign team welcomed the community to drop in, ask questions, meet and greet, or to just connect with each other and ‘wind down’ over a bite and a beverage.

 Friday Wind Down is not Johnson’s first community event in the area. His company, Augusta Office Solutions, hosted the 2022 Masters Week event, ParTee On The Green (ParTeeAugusta), in the same location. This was the first event of its kind in South Richmond County during Golf Week.

 "We are excited to resume our Friday Wind Down events. They gave us a great opportunity to unite and engage the community in food, fun, and fellowship,” said Mayor-Elect Johnson. “As this is the first event at our South Augusta HQ since the June 21st runoff, I want to personally invite everyone to come out and enjoy the festivities. And, please, stop by the office to learn more about our team's vision and plan for moving Augusta forward."

 All are invited to this free community event. Admission is free, and food truck & vendor items available for sale. Bring chairs, but leave pets and coolers. Register at foodtruckfridayaugusta@gmail.com.

 Food Truck Family Fridays (formerly Friday Wind Down)

July 29, 2022

(3rd Fridays afterward: August 19, September 16, October 21; 2022)

5:00-9:00pm

4102 Windsor Spring Road, Hephzibah GA 30815

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To arrange interviews or for additional information contact

Dorian Harris
artdealerinc@gmail.com

+1 (404) 783-4485

Urban Pro Weekly (UPW), in partnership with Yelp Augusta, is proud to once again present Augusta Black Restaurant Week on June 13-19, 2022. This annual event takes pride in highlighting some of the area's black-owned eateries and chefs, while giving patrons an opportunity to partake in specialty or signature items for the week.

Since its inception in 2021, UPW has endeavored to strengthen our community by bringing attention to some of the small businesses in the area hit the hardest by the global Covid-19 pandemic. Although financial relief was issued, the disparity between independent Black-Owned businesses, as compared to others, was seen and felt across the nation - even MORE in the small business sector. For this reason, Augusta Black Restaurant Week (ABRW) was established.

New to the 2022 ABRW experience are prix fixe options from each partner and a collaboration with personal and executive chefs, food trucks, and stalls to provide a unique culinary experience. Participating food partners listed below and at augustarestaurantweek.com.

Augusta Black Restaurant Week

June 13-19, 2022

Richmond, Aiken, Columbia, Burke, Edgefield counties

RESTAURANTS

Alexander's Great BBQ

Arie's Confectionaries

Big Mama's Soul Food

Big T's Seafood

Broad St. Bullies

Brunch House of Augusta

Cafe 209

Catz Kitchen

Cliffism Sports & Spirits

DeShawn's Seafood

Fielding Bros BBQ

Glamm Deli

Humanitree House

The J. Renae Experience Catering

Jackie M's & Son

Shake City

Timbuktu Cafe

Vibes and Vines Jazz Lounge

WSS1 (Wings, Subs, Salads)

CHEFS

Thomas Jacobs (Partridge Inn)

Dairius Mealing (Partridge Inn)

Rosslina Anderson

Lateisha Thomas (Geechie Gurl Catering)

Reggie White (Black Lotus Cuisine)

Maria Fickling & Courtney Marie Finnis (Hattie Bee’s Catering)

#augustarestaurantweek #ABRW #augustafoodie #farmtotable #farmtofork #foodtour #agritourism

—> Click to view Augusta Black Restaurant Week - Yelp Collection and map <—

Growing Augusta presents....

"How to Sell at Farmers Markets: Packaging, Promotion, Presentation"

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

10a-2p

1028 Broad Street, Augusta (in-person & virtual option)

register at growingaugusta.co/classes

The Growing Augusta: Arts, Agriculture, & Agency team brings nearly 15 years of hosting, promoting, and collaborating with local Farmers Markets. Join us for this Producer Training session - covering effective promo, packaging & display, licensing & insurance, social media, more…

Made possible by funding from Southern SARE

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final course materials here: https://kgordon.teachable.com/p/farmersmarketsproducertraining

Neighborhood associations are vital to creating and maintaining strong and vibrant communities. They are the voice of the local residents and take a lead role in organizing activities and initiatives that benefit their area and local residents.

Neighborhood associations offer an opportunity for neighbors to come together and collaborate on projects that make a difference, such as organizing clean-up projects, providing assistance to those in need, and advocating for local causes. They also provide a forum for neighbors to get to know each other and build relationships, strengthening the bonds in the community. By working together, neighborhood associations can create a positive and empowering environment that benefits everyone.

Still on the fence? Here are the top three reasons why people join a neighborhood association group

1. Connect and build relationships within the community: Neighborhood associations provide a great way to get to know and build relationships with other members of the community. It can be a great way to make friends and be a part of a larger network of like-minded people.

2. Have a collective voice to address local issues: Neighborhood associations provide a platform for the collective voice of the neighborhood to be heard by local authorities. This can be especially helpful in addressing local issues that may not be heard without the support of a larger group.

3. Improve the quality of life in the community: Through engaging in activities and initiatives, neighborhood associations can help to improve the quality of life in the community. This could include organizing regular events such as a community clean-up, advocating for infrastructure improvements, organizing crime watch programs, or providing assistance to those in need.

TYPICAL PERKS OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

CLEAN & SAFE COMMUNITY -  neighborhood clean-ups, planting trees, and building gardens provide neighbors with a way to work together on a project and connect with nature. Creating and maintaining pocket parks and green spaces promote healthier lifestyle choices and bring the community together. Creating a Neighborhood Watch Program helps reduce crime and increase safety.

COMMUNICATION - create social media groups, networks and communication systems to help residents connect with each other and work together; offering a platform for them to share resources, discover local services, discuss community issues (& resolve conflict)..

CONNECTION - Neighbors can come together in a group setting to meet new people, discover new businesses, and brainstorm solutions. This is true for a neighborhood addressing a single issue, or an assemblage of communities tackling a city-wide problem. There’s strength in numbers, and a group is usually more effective than a single voice.

EVENTS - block parties, picnics, festivals, movie nights, and holiday celebrations create a sense of community and bring neighbors together. They also provide an opportunity to discuss local issues and work together on solutions, fostering a sense of belonging and community spirit.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT – communicate with local officials to identify and address issues, introduce programs  (job training, after school, tutoring). establish food pantries, free clinics, advocate for environmental protection and sustainable development. Neighborhood leaders cultivate relationships with local and state elected officials, and many go on to run for office themselves.

 **

The Richmond County Neighborhood Association Alliance is an organization that helps connect neighbors to the resources they need to make their neighborhoods better. Our mission is to make Richmond a safer, better place to live and work. By joining the alliance, you’ll have access to networking events, resources, and volunteer opportunities. We offer monthly meetings and workshops to discuss issues and work together to create solutions for the community. Being a part of the Alliance will give you the opportunity to get involved in activities that help make Richmond a better place for everyone. So, join the Richmond County Neighborhood Association Alliance and help us make a difference in our community.

GREENING.

In urban planning refers to the integration of vegetation and other green elements into the built environment, such as parks, green roofs/ walls, urban farms and gardens, and more. It involves adding plants, trees, shrubs, and other green elements to a city's landscape to provide biological, economic, and aesthetic benefits.

The benefits of planting in vacant lots are numerous and well-documented. From reducing crime rates to lowering air pollution, increasing property values to reducing energy costs, planting in these otherwise unused spaces can make a huge difference in urban areas. Here, I will discuss the five key benefits of planting in vacant lots, including the ways they can reduce crime rates, air pollution, temperatures, water runoff, and increase property values.

PLANTING VACANT LOTS CAN REDUCE CRIME

 
A 2018 study shows that planting trees and other vegetation in vacant lots in urban areas can significantly reduce crime rates by as much as 10%.

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, involved analyzing data from nearly 600 vacant lots in Philadelphia, PA, over a period of nine years (2007-2015). The researchers used a statistical model to compare crime rates in areas with vacant lots that had been transformed into green spaces with those in areas with lots that had remained empty.

They found that the crime rate dropped by an average of 10.5% in areas with green spaces. This translates to a reduction of roughly 1.5 violent crimes per 10,000 people in those areas. Gun violence fell by 30 percent in neighborhoods living below the poverty line that got transformed lots. Other lighter crimes like burglary and loitering—gateway misdemeanors that can eventually lead to violent crime — fell from 20 percent to 30 percent.

The team concluded that green spaces are beneficial by providing an area where people can gather and socialize, offering a sense of hope or optimism for community members. This can lead to lowered stress levels, improved mental health, and greater feelings of safety. It is yet another reminder of the significant impact and importance of investing in our communities, especially in the form of green spaces.

Resources:

Citywide cluster randomized trial to restore blighted vacant land and its effects on violence, crime, and fear (2018)

 https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/55829

Ideas We Should Steal Festival 2018: Public Spaces, Civic Health

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ02VLZ_Ey0&t=555s

(the following article presented by the South Augusta Farmers Market)

What value does a farmers market bring to a community?

Having a farmers market in your community is beneficial for a variety of reasons. Firstly, it provides access to fresh, local produce and healthy food options that might otherwise be unavailable. Secondly, it supports local farmers and helps to sustain small, local businesses.

A farmers market also encourages social interaction and connection between local residents. Finally, it can serve as an educational opportunity to demonstrate the importance of eating healthily and sustainably.

Increase Access to Healthy Food

Farmers markets are a great way to increase access to healthy food. Farmers markets offer fresh, local, seasonal produce at lower cost than traditional stores. The food is often grown organically and is often picked just days before it arrives at the market. This means the food is fresher and more nutritious than anything you can buy at the grocery store. Farmers markets also promote access to healthy foods by offering foods from different cultures and ethnicities, like indigenous and ethnic foods, which are harder to find in standard grocery stores. They also promote the kind of social interaction missing from traditional grocery stores, where you can talk to the farmers about their produce and learn about their growing practices. This helps to build a stronger connection to the food and its source, which can lead to an overall healthier lifestyle. Lastly, farmers markets help create of a variety of healthy food options by providing farmers with outlets to sell their products directly to the public. This stands in stark contrast to the centralized food distribution system of traditional grocery stores, which often favor processed foods over fresh foods.

Support Local Business

A farmers market can help to support local business by creating a venue where farmers, bakers, and other producers in the community can sell their products directly to consumers. This can benefit local businesses by providing them with an increased local customer base, greater visibility in the community, and the opportunity to develop relationships with their customers. Additionally, shopping at a farmers market helps to support the local economy, as the money spent there will be circulated within the local area.

Encourage Social Interaction

A farmers market encourages social interaction by creating an opportunity for people to connect with each other and their community. By bringing together members of the community to purchase goods from local farmers, the farmers market provides a public, shared space that is filled with the sights and sounds of music, conversation, and laughter. Additionally, farmers markets often offer events, like cooking demonstrations or live music performances, to further draw in the public and foster personal connections.

Farmers markets are an invaluable asset to every community because they provide local, sustainably-grown produce, from organic to heirloom items, directly from the farmers. They bring together the local community to create a connection between farmers and the public, and serve as an important source of healthy and nutritious food for families. Furthermore, farmers markets foster a greater sense of community involvement by not only providing fresh food, but also by offering educational, cultural and entertainment activities for all ages to enjoy.

Find farmers markets in your area by doing the following:

1. Use online resources to find local farmers markets. Websites such as LocalHarvest.org and USDA.gov have directories where you can search for farmers markets near you.

2. Ask locals in your area if they know of any local farmers markets. Friends, family, neighbors, and local businesses may be able to provide valuable information and insights.

3. Check your local newspaper or magazines for weekly or monthly ads that list local farmers markets.

4. Look up local Farmers Markets on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

5. Ask your local municipality for information about farmers markets in the area. City or county offices may keep lists of local markets.

6. Ask at area grocery stores and co-ops if they have information about local farmers markets. Many of these stores partner with local farmers or have ongoing relationships with the vendors.

A. Walker-Thomas, Intern

South Augusta Farmers Market

Growing Augusta: Arts, Agriculture, & Agency ~ Urban Pro Weekly

+1 (762) 233-5299

kgordon personal post:

this vid is not cute at all, but I'm comfy with that. In the midst of my pursuit of Dan Quail (who was reunited with his/her brethren/sistren in their crate a few days ago), I've got many of my random 4 gallon buckets strewn about. Most of them have dormant plants, but the rest.....

So.. checkit ... I paid $150 for 100 buckets (& I couldn't take them all home, so I'm grateful to Bobby Boucher for providing a safe space for them for a day). Let's talk about what we use them for. In a word, everything.

1. drill holes and use them as planters. they are food grade, so we plant sweet potatoes, root veg, leafy greens, etc.

2. stack them and do the same - for older folks like myself who don't want to bend over a lot to garden

3. temp vessel to propagate taro that we grab from Laurel Lane

4. use them to collect and store compostable materials (until I figure out how to use my sawzall to take off the tops of the 55 gallon drums

5. storage for curing rabbit and horse manures (gifted from Wallace’s Farm - Augusta, Georgia) to be sold in the spring

6. storage for small amounts of goat feed, compost, fertilizer at my Mom's house (shhh, don't tell her)

7. sell them - either plain or as a fully formed container garden

8. storage for fallen leaves, to be sold as leaf mold soil amendment

9. some of the buckets are stuck together. I drill holes in the top bucket and use the bottom as a water reservoir, like a modified wicking bucket system. This is great for conserving water and reducing evaporation. Wayne says sell it!

10. grow edible landscaping... veggies, herbs, and grasses with beautiful foliage that work in containers

10a. as they grow, we wrap the planters in decorative fabric and rent as event decor in lieu of cut flowers

10b. we have done this with taro and lemongrass. and had planned to do this with the sweet potato vines, but the goats ate them all.

10c. sell 'em, too

So... just for giggles and grins... how many different streams of income and/or teaching opportunities do you see there?

#bookertwhatley

Garden City Jazz and the Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce selected as 2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantees

 AUGUSTA - Garden City Jazz and the Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce are thrilled to announce we have been selected to receive a 2021 AARP Community Challenge grant. We are one of only 244 grantees selected from across all 50 states, Washington D.C, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

 With this “quick-action” grant we will present The Soul + Soil Initiative, an outdoor concert series of African-American music on African-American owned farmland, bringing awareness to and developing robust program support for two of the hardest hit industries during the pandemic: arts/culture and agriculture. Photos, videos, and live-streamed events will be compiled to develop an agri-tourism campaign for host farmers.

 “We are incredibly proud that AARP selected Garden City Jazz and the Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce to receive this grant,” stated Karen Gordon. “AARP is a nationwide leader on making neighborhoods, towns, and cities more livable for all residents and we are honored that they see the tangible value this project will bring to our community.”

 Tickets, artists, and venue info for the 2021 Soul + Soil Concert Series can be found at gardencityjazz.eventbrite.com.

 About the Community Challenge

 The Community Challenge funds innovative projects that inspire change in areas such as transportation, public spaces, housing, diversity and inclusion, civic engagement, coronavirus recovery and more.

 It’s all part of AARP’s nationwide work on livable communities, which supports the efforts of neighborhoods, towns, cities and counties across the country to become great places for all residents. AARP believes that communities should provide safe, walkable streets; affordable and accessible housing and transportation options; access to needed services; and opportunities for residents to participate in community life.

 To learn more about the work being funded by the AARP Community Challenge across the nation – including all 244 granted projects this year, visit aarp.org/CommunityChallenge. You can also view an interactive map of all Community Challenge projects and AARP’s livable communities work at aarp.org/livable. 

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