Outside the box
Our Outside The Box project aims to take the most blighted traffic boxes along major thoroughfares and transform them with vinyl wallpaper wraps that depict imagery representative of that Neighborhood. The goals are to use color and iconic neighborhood imagery to create a more vibrant and beautiful pedestrian experience, celebrate community pride, and install visual wayfinding along major thoroughfares. In collaboration with 3CDC our team piloted a series of 21 boxes in Downtown Cincinnati. After extensive community surveying and feedback our Arts team created 5 original designs (in 5 colorways) with themes like Cincinnati architecture, famous athletes, and flora & fauna. Since we piloted this series, we created 3 unique designs for OTR, expanded our reach to 69 traffic boxes in Downtown and OTR, and are working expand our reach to new neighborhoods.
Our Arts team is happy to share downloadable desktop wallpapers of our first 5 traffic box patterns!
Please do not reproduce without permission from KCB, but feel free to share with credit. All inquiries about our patterns can go to Katie@Keepcincinnatibeautiful.org
blink
Since 2019, our team has curated interactive installations for BLINK, the largest light and art event in the U.S., taking place in Cincinnati, OH. Last year, we completed inCANdescent. Constructed from 1,400 reclaimed single-gallon paint cans that house a programmable light and sound show, it brings delight and awe, while reframing how we think about waste. Neon Wave is a collaboration with The Stanards that artistically addresses lighting and safety concerns in a neglected alley. This permanent piece consists of a single strand of LEDs suspended in a geodesic helix that pulsed during the light festival. Party Cans challenges the perception of the everyday, overlooked object: the public recycling bin. When a passerby tosses an item in the bin, a motion sensor activates an LED light show and sound effects.
other installations
Collaborating with neighborhoods and community partners, we have created artistic installations that beautify spaces, educate on environmental initiatives, and serve as catalysts to inspire change. As part of "Be The Change" by Ish, we created a Tzedakah Box that explored the theme of Environmental Justice through an interactive, tactile materials study. Our box reflects how the built environment and access to green spaces directly impact quality of life, increase global warming, and disproportionately affect low-income communities. In partnership with a University of Cincinnati architecture studio, we constructed a geodesic dome called Stitched. Our team guided students in crocheting thousands of upcycled, single-use plastic bags into a canopy, which was installed on Cincinnati's Fountain Square as part of Eco-Sculpt. We ♥ College Hill is a permanent installation and part of a series in the business district meant to activate the alleyways. The reclaimed paint can heart brings vibrancy to the space and is programmed to light up helping to promote visibility and safety.
