City of Concord wins Helen Putnam Award for Creative Concord program

By The Pioneer 1 month ago
The public got a chance to interact with artists painting in downtown Concord at the October Creative Concord Art and Jam. (Pete Cruz photo)

CONCORD, CA (Oct. 21, 2024) — The City of Concord has been honored with the prestigious Helen Putnam Award for Excellence in the category of Economic Development through the Arts for its Creative Concord public arts program.

The League of California Cities bestowed the honor to Concord in an awards ceremony at the organization’s annual conference being held in Long Beach.

Concord Mayor Edi Birsan accepted the award on behalf of the city.

“We are grateful to be recognized for this program, which sparked public interest in the arts, spurred economic activity, and spotlighted Concord’s efforts to strengthen our community spirit through an arts and culture experience,” Birsan said.

A strong sense of place

Established in 2022 as an effort to reignite Concord’s vibrant downtown, the program brought three annual multi-day events to the city, featuring mural installations, live canvas paintings, live music, sculptures, and community involvement.

Coming out of the pandemic, Concord understood the importance of developing a strong sense of place that represented the community’s identity and spirit. Simultaneously, the City wanted to support the economic vitality of Concord by attracting visitors, supporting local businesses, and boosting tourism.

Since its inception, the program has brought together more than 100 organizations, businesses, and advocates to collaborate and help make Creative Concord thrive. The program has also given back in many forms, including paid opportunities for dozens of local artists and talent, donating artworks to local nonprofit organizations, monetary donations to charities through the sale of artworks created during the Art & Music Jam event, and more.

Creative Concord is made possible through a collaboration among the city, art-centric agency Local Edition Creative, and the tourism bureau Visit Concord.

“With a focus on highlighting diverse styles, cultures, and themes, Creative Concord has enlivened the city with a portfolio of artworks that embody a sense of welcoming and an understanding that a wonderfully diverse community can be found here,” said Sage Loring, cofounder and creative director of Local Edition Creative.

About the award

Established in 1982 by the League of California Cities, the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence program recognizes outstanding achievements by California’s 483 cities. These winning cities have made unique contributions to community residents and businesses, contributions which have resulted in lower costs or more effective delivery of services. The purpose of the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence program is to recognize and promote the outstanding efforts and innovative solutions by city governments.

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