North Kentucky News

The City of Covington is moving forward with plans to commission a significant piece of public art for the Covington Central Riverfront neighborhood. The initiative aims to foster community identity and pride through a landmark sculpture that will be installed at a key location within the developing area.

To achieve this, the city has partnered with several organizations including the Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center, The Center for Great Neighborhoods (CGN), ArtsWave, and the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation. Together, they have launched a national design competition seeking proposals from artists across the country.

Tom West, Economic Development Director, emphasized the strategic importance of public art in shaping the neighborhood's environment: “From the very beginning, we have acted strategically and thoughtfully to create a 23-acre neighborhood at CCR that we hope will one day take its place among Covington’s renowned historic districts,” he said.

Funding for this project comes from a grant provided by The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation. This will cover costs related to organizing the competition as well as artist fees and fabrication expenses.

Artists interested in participating can submit their applications until June 1. By July 1, three to five finalists will be selected to develop more detailed proposals. The winning design is expected to be chosen by August 15, with installation planned for November 30.

Matt Distel, executive director of The Carnegie, expressed enthusiasm about using public art to signal intentions for bold projects like CCR: “Public Art is an exciting way to signal the intentions of a bold project like CCR,” he stated.

The designated site was formerly occupied by an IRS paper processing facility before being acquired by the city in 2019. It has since been redeveloped into mixed-use spaces including housing and commercial facilities while maintaining elements such as sidewalks and public areas.

Applicants are encouraged to incorporate historical elements or artifacts from the old IRS complex into their designs or highlight aspects of Covington's history and identity. Shannon Ratterman from CGN noted that community feedback would play a crucial role in selecting a proposal: “It’s important to us that the selected project be something that resonates with the broader Covington community,” she explained.

The selection committee includes representatives from The Carnegie, CGN, regional arts professionals, local leaders, and city officials. Public feedback on finalist submissions will be solicited later this summer.

For further information regarding submission details or site history, interested parties are directed towards contacting publicart@thecarnegie.com or visiting Covington Central Riverfront online.