Washington, DC— The Citizens' Institute on Rural DesignTM (CIRD) is pleased to announce that Limon, CO has been added to the roster of 2016-2017 host communities and awarded a stipend from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to host a rural design workshop in spring of 2017. While Limon came in as first runner-up in what was a highly competitive application cycle, the NEA and CIRD program staff decided Limon’s workshop concept and commitment to an extensive community engagement process merited their inclusion in the program.
“NEA is proud to support a CIRD workshop in Limon, as it is a topic of importance to communities big and small. Brainstorming ways on how to make Limon more navigable for pedestrians will entice residents and visitors alike to explore all that the town has to offer,” said Jason Schupbach, NEA Director of Design Programs.
“We are thrilled to add Limon to our 2016-2017 program. Limon’s plan to develop a comprehensive wayfinding and design plan to improve safety of pedestrians and provide visual cues that highlight local businesses, town’s history, recreational paths, and other community assets. This plan will be an economic driver that has broad applicability to rural communities around the country,” said Cynthia Nikitin, CIRD Program Director and Senior Vice President of Project for Public Spaces, Inc.
Limon, CO will join six other host communities that were selected in March 2016: Thomasville, GA; Salmon, ID; Isle de Jean Charles, LA; Red Lodge, MT; Awkesasne, Mohawk Territory, and Chimacum, WA. CIRD awardees receive a $10,000 stipend to support the workshop and follow-up planning sessions. Each community also receives in-kind design expertise and technical assistance valued at $35,000, and additional support through webinars, conference calls, and web-based resources on www.rural-design.org.
CIRD workshops bring communities together to craft actionable solutions to their pressing development and design challenges. CIRD is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Project for Public Spaces, and the Orton Family Foundation.
