Throughout 2003, ArtsPartners was pleased to collaborate with the City of Peoria in generating 12 new "Welcome to Peoria" signs that project Peoria as an artistic, progressive, and forward-thinking community. The message on some of the signs suggests there’s much to discover here.
The project was so successful and the response from our community so positive, that ArtsPartners drew a logical conclusion about what promotional tactic to take regarding an arts awareness campaign wanted to adopt for 2004. Our simple tactic was this: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
That’s why, when you travel throughout Peoria this year, you’ll see along several major thoroughfares-from major downtown streets all the way to Lake and Sterling-colorful banners designed by artist Catherine Tilly that complement our Welcome Signs. Just as a bright sun shines over our Peoria skyline in the Welcome Signs, so do our new banners illustrate a similar skyline and theme in bright city colors of red, blue, and yellow.
Yet our banners add a statement that the Welcome Signs don’t. As an organization committed to giving greater visibility to the arts, ArtsPartners doesn’t just want residents and visitors to discover Peoria. We want local residents and visitors to Discover Peoria Arts. Hence, our 2004 theme.
In short, throughout our Discover Peoria Arts campaign this year, ArtsPartners aims to accomplish several goals:
- Build upon the same themes introduced in our Welcome to Peoria signs. The consistency and repetition of this message can only reinforce that there’s much to discover in Peoria.
- Create an interest in and add more visibility to our wonderful array of arts activities in Peoria. In so doing, we want to send a clear message that we’re a culturally rich city that values and supports the arts.
- Combine both ideas for a double message: Discover Peoria and Discover Peoria Arts in music, drama, dance, and exhibits.
- Educate the public that one place to discover the arts is at the ArtsPartners Web site at www.artspartners.net. We include it on the banners so when residents and visitors go to our Web site, they’ll discover a full listing of current arts events in our Peoria area.
In ways both bright and colorful, our new ArtsPartners banners serve as a call to action: Let’s get out there and discover what our city offers, especially in the arts. By doing so, we’re not only building a stronger arts scene, we’re building a stronger economy. And a stronger economy means a better quality of life for everyone. This year, by trying something new, by Discovering Peoria Arts, let’s all discover just how many arts events await us right here in our own back yard. AA!
