The Dayton Creative Syndicate earned the title of "Judges' Choice" for the May 2012 installation of Activated Spaces. "We all know our members are creatives in their own right, but getting recognition from the community for doing great work, that's an honor unto itself," says Public Service Coordinator Artie Toth, who headed up the project.

The judges scored each Activated Spaces entry on creative and inventive use of medium, innovative style and concept, outstanding technical proficiency or craftsmanship, and how well the theme was expressed. Check out this award-winning installation yourself tonight at Urban Nights. You'll find the project in the windows of the Biltmore Building at First and Main streets in downtown Dayton. Support DCS and this cool project by voting for the installation as a People's Choice winner!

Activated Spaces is a project led by updayton and Generation Dayton as part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan. "The goal of Activated Spaces is to invigorate our urban areas and fill vacant downtown storefronts," Artie explains. "The first step is art installations, and DCS is proud to have participated (and been a top-tier entry) in all rounds so far." Subsequent installations beyond the art exhibits include Pop-Up Shops, which are short-term spaces for services and retail, with the goal of reaching the final phase, long-term tenancy.

The theme for this Activated Spaces installation was "Naturally Dayton." Applicants were to demonstrate how Dayton's natural spaces contribute to our city's unique vibe. "I chose the focus of the DCS project to be the PNC 2nd Street Market," Artie says. "If you've never been to this year-round farmer's market at the corner of Second and Webster streets, it's worth a visit. They sell fresh produce, bread, spices and wine, as well as handmade goods like jewelry, clothing and accessories, vegan soaps, upcycled crafts and artwork. Not only does the venue show off Dayton's 'natural' features, it supports diverse and eclectic creative industries, which marries with the DCS mission perfectly."

Want to use your creative powers for good and be part of fantastic projects that make your city a vibrant and great place to live? This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or become a member today!