On March 23rd during New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, the region will showcase innovative solutions to water issues critical to Louisiana’s economy, ecosystem, and coastal protection during Water Challenge Day.
The Water Challenge initiative is a collaboration between Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation,The Idea Village and the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) that aims to identify and support entrepreneurial solutions that apply innovative approaches to how we live with water.
One of the major agenda items of the day is the civic design pitch competition “Living with Water” that will be awarding $25,000 to the winner who best focuses on increasing civil participation in social and environmental change. The event will take place during the morning session from 10:15 – 12:00PM at The Chicory on Fulton Street.
This year’s three finalists are: Jennifer Blanchard, Contraflow; Michel Varisco, Turning; and Amy Stelly and Darryl Reeves, Drop in the Bowl. The winning design will be installed on the new Lafitte Greenway in New Orleans.
“The Living with Water Arts Pitch is a tremendous opportunity for the public to engage in the Arts Council’s public art process and bring a socially responsive artwork revolving around New Orleans water issues into the community,” said Bryan C. Lee, Jr. Arts Council Director of Place + Civic Design.
Propeller says the finalists offer variations on the competition theme “Living With Water,” with project proposals incorporating native Louisiana totem poles, rain gardens, kinetic sculpture, and illustration.
More about Water Challenge Day can be found here.