Thank you for supporting New Albany: we made the Levitt AMP finals!

According to the Levitt AMP website, New Albany was number 7 in the community vote tally.

That gets us into the final round where our proposal will be reviewed. Thanks to everyone for the support shown our community.

THE NEW ALBANY PROPOSAL

Official Name of Public Space

The Park Along the River

Site Address

217 Carter Avenue (the official entrance), New Albany, Mississippi

How will your town or city benefit from the Levitt AMP [Your City] Music Series?

In the past few years New Albany has undergone a true renaissance. Perhaps it’s better to say that it is currently in a period of renaissance. A new bike trail, grants and awards for sustainability, state appropriations for quality of life improvements, scenic byway designations and riverfront development are a few examples of things that have come about in the the last two years. We’ve also seen the birth of three new restaurants and old buildings downtown that’ve been neglected for decades are now being fixed up. We are hitting a sweet spot of acceleration and momentum and it’s causing people to open their minds and see their place, their hometown, differently. Pride and hope both are in the air and it’s a beautiful thing to see. A Levitt AMP Music Series in our town would have HUGE benefits for the community: It would provide quality and enriching entertainment for people in the region; it would further showcase our town as a great place to live, create a business and raise a family; it would expose so many people in our community to a new expectation of quality of life. The benefits would be immeasurable. Like Handel’s Water Music, commissioned to play on a river so everyone could share in such quality…It is truly a remarkable opportunity for us.

How will your Levitt AMP [Your City] Music Series reflect the essence of the Levitt AMP Grant Awards?

People generally like to be validated; they like to know when outsiders esteem them. New Albany is a very inclusive community that is thoughtfully engaged in providing access to quality of life experiences for those who live and visit here. A Levitt AMP New Albany Music Series will validate and legitimize these efforts and inspire others (individuals and organizations) to also engage in the creating, promoting and supporting artistic, musical and other cultural events. Additionally, we will have the opportunity to expose so many people to quality cultural events in a quality, convenient and ideally accessible location. The effect of this will be to elevate the expectation of people in regards to quality of life event and it will fortify those wishing to create and promote these events. Every component for this effort to be a success is here: a scenic, accessible and convenient location; a diverse population that is taking new pride in their community; and institutions and individuals that are willing to be innovative and invest in quality of life events.

Describe the site where the free concerts will be held and how the Levitt AMP [Your City] Music Series will enliven the selected public space.

The Park Along the River was created from a flood plain area adjacent to downtown New Albany in 1996. A local artist (and former High School arts teacher) named Catherine Dye came up with the idea and asked the man who owned the property to donate it to the city. The man did and the city created a park in the area with a playground, a pavilion, walking trails and picnic areas. At it’s inception, the park was not well received by the community. Some people thought that, due to it’s proximity to some less affluent neighborhoods, that it would be a magnet for “drug dealing” and other shady activities. Over the years, however, these people have been proven wrong and the park has become an asset to the community and its importance has grown along the with growth and improvement of downtown. That being said, there is still much unrealized potential with the park. Plans have been drawn up for a permanent stage and applicable funding has been secured, but reception by some is still tepid. Having the Levitt AMP series in the area would be a tipping point in perception. The space has electrical, plenty of level seating, bathrooms and a lovely riverside environment and meets all criteria for a Levitt grant.

Don’t know what this is all about?  Check out: Levitt AMP Competition