FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bonnie Macdonald
423-392-8416
Kingsport Rising Together For Community Sculpture
Kingsport, TN – Creating a sculpture celebrating the combined hopes and dreams that are the community of Kingsport, Rise Together Kingsport is a project by the City of Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission and artist Charlie Brouwer.
The project provides an opportunity for anyone in the community to participate in creating a sculpture signifying the combined hopes and dreams that depend on, build upon and support each other in Kingsport.
“I borrowed a ladder from a neighbor many years ago,” said Brouwer. “I needed it to get things done around my house. From borrowing that ladder, a relationship was built.”
Individuals, families, organizations, schools, churches, and businesses are invited to lend ladders to be connected together in a monumental sculpture towering in front of the Renaissance Center and spilling across its lawn to Center Street.
The ladders can be real extension and stepladders, or any form or size of ladder – including handmade ladders from any material. The ladders can be as creative or expressive, or as plain as the owners want them to be. All ladders will be registered and tagged, and lenders will be recognized on the list of lenders posted on the Rise Together Kingsport website and on a sign at the sculpture. The owner of a ladder may even choose to have the name of the lender be someone they wish to honor, or remember.
The Office of Cultural Arts is accepting ladders now until October 14th. Ladders can be dropped off at the Renaissance Center during designated times or can be picked up if you do not have a way of transporting the ladder. The drop-off times are September 30th and October 7th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., October 1st and October 8th from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., October 6th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., October 9th to 13th from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and October 14th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The temporary sculpture will be completed on October 14th and will remain on exhibit until November 13th when it will be dismantled and all ladders returned to their owners. For those who do not want their ladder back, they will be donated to Holston Habitat for Humanity.
The artist, Charlie Brouwer has led similar projects in 13 other U.S. communities from Allentown, PA to St. Louis, MO – for information and a video, visit
For more information on Rise Together Kingsport or lending a ladder, visit To arrange for your ladder to be picked up, please call 423-392-8414.
Follow Rise Together Kingsport on Facebook –
###
About the Office of Cultural Arts
The Office of Cultural Arts (OCA), part of the City of Kingsport, connects, coordinates and engages the public with a creative community. We operate the Renaissance Arts Center, the Farmer’s Market, the Kingsport Carousel, the Carousel Fine Craft Show, Kingsport Public Art Program, Engage Kingsport Performing Arts Series, Art in the Heart Art Gallery, and a broad range of support to the area’s arts organizations. The OCA works in tandem with Engage Kingsport, Inc., the "Friends of the Cultural Arts" group, a private, volunteer-led 501(c)3 non-profit community organization.
About the City of Kingsport
Founded in 1917, the City of Kingsport (pop. 53,000) is located on the Tennessee-Virginia border at the crossroads of I-81 and I-26 near the geographic center of the eastern U.S. The city is widely known as a planned community, designed by renowned city planner John Nolen and wrapping around the foot of Bays Mountain – a 3,500 acre park, nature preserve, planetarium and observatory. Kingsport is recognized as an International Safe Community by the National Safety Council, a Healthier Tennessee community, and won the 2009 Harvard Innovations in American Government Award for its higher education initiatives. While many city names are duplicated throughout the U.S., there’s only one Kingsport – a fact that invokes community pride, known locally as the “Kingsport Spirit.”
Adrienne Batara
Marketing and Public Relations Specialist
City of Kingsport
P: 423-343-9791
C: 423-440-0442
225 W. Center Street
Kingsport, TN 37660
www.kingsporttn.gov