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2019 Winner

The heART trails project through the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and Front Yard Bikes are the 2019 recipients of BRG’s Community Enhancement Award. BRG will invest $75,000 into each organization over a three-year period.

The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge was selected for its heART trails project, which will use existing infrastructure to develop heart-shaped walking trails throughout Baton Rouge. The trails use temporary art installations for way-finding and to celebrate local “Trailblazers.” BRG’s investment will allow for the design and installation of three heART trails at targeted locations around Baton Rouge. The Arts Council piloted the heART trail concept at the Ebb & Flow Festival in April. The trails will be created and designed by Taylor Jacobsen, who is currently working on his master’s degree in LSU’s Landscape Architecture program and is the co-founder of United Aerial, a Dallas-based company, and the owner of New Land Development.

Front Yard Bikes was selected for its youth development program in partnership with Cristo Rey Baton Rouge. “With workforce training, we can combat unemployment and incarceration rates, especially in a community with limited resources,” said Dustin LaFont, founder of Front Yard Bikes. BRG’s investment will support high school equivalency testing and job training for hundreds of young people between 14 and 22. The grant will fund apprentice training for four Cristo Rey students who will then assist instructors in certifying other young people in mechanics or welding. Both fields are in high demand in the Baton Rouge region.

BRG developed the CEA program to consolidate its resources and make a larger impact on fewer organizations in order to create lasting change in Baton Rouge.

BRG plans to award a new three-year grant each year. Applications will be accepted for the 2020 CEA beginning next Spring.

Community-Enhancement-Award-Seal

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