The city of LaFayette, Georgia is among three municipalities selected for the next round of the Thriving Communities program.
Spearheaded by Thrive Regional Partnership, the community accelerator program brings in design professionals to teach local change-makers how they can leverage the city's artistic and cultural assets to spark economic vibrancy and growth.
Upon completion of the 10 months of training, each community will be eligible to apply for a $20,000 grant from the Lyndhurst Foundation to carry out a culture and arts project that will benefit both residents and visitors. The initiative comes at no cost to the city, except for transportation to and from meetings in Chattanooga.
According to Thrive representatives, LaFayette stood out among applicants in part because of the redevelopment of Queen City Lake, and because of its Honeybee Festival, which with its live music and honeybee education attractions has drawn 30,000 people to the city. Both of which serve as successful marks of the city's rebranding.
Also selected for the opportunity this year were Dayton, Tenn., and Bridgeport, Ala.
"Each of these teams exhibited a strong desire to build upon their unique strengths and to leverage the input and talent of their local citizens for long-term growth and prosperity," said Bridgett Massengill, president and CEO of Thrive, in a news release. "We are excited to bring these three communities into the growing network of Thriving Communities across our tri-state region."
Fort Oglethorpe, which was selected as a Thriving Community in 2018, received its $20,000 grant in December. The money will be used to bring its Interactive Art Walk to life this summer.
Rossville, selected during the first round of the initiative in 2016, used the training and $20,000 in funding to improve the city park in the area where the historic John Ross House sits.
The ultimate goal of the Thrive Regional Partnership initiative is to engage people in the tri-state region to make the most of the area's economic opportunities while preserving what locals love about their communities.
Staff writer Allison Shirk contributed to this story.
Email Myron Madden at mmadden@timesfreepress.com