ArtWorks is marking its 30th anniversary with a new look and a new name: 1001 Colors.
Pronounced "one thousand and one colors," the non-profit, which creates community-based public art, says the rebrand has been in the works for two years, and marks a new chapter for the organization.
"There has been a lot of confusion around our name in the local business community and in the arts ecosystem, and there's a lot of confusion at the national level, and so we really wanted a name that had distinction and clarity, so people really understand who we are and what we do," says Colleen Houston, CEO and artistic director of 1001 Colors. "That's so important for any good brand, so really it was a business decision."
Houston says while the ArtWorks name is well-known in Cincinnati, it's now widely used around the country, limiting the ability for the organization to grow its national presence.
"It's not a name that we legally owned or were ever able to trademark or protect, and so it just became crowded. We were often getting confused for organizations in other communities. Some of those organizations also employ youth or create community-based art. We continue to push the needle for Cincinnati to build more awareness of the arts in Cincinnati, and attract national funding, and we really wanted a name that was truly unique and distinctive and stood out," she says.
The idea for the new name came from a painting that was discovered during renovations at the organization's headquarters in Walnut Hills.
"During the renovation and preservation process, there were some boards that covered up the windows, and as we pulled those back, there were these really beautiful hand-painted signs on the upper windows. One of them said '1001 colors,' and so that was a point of discovery that was really special. It actually inspired every creative (and design) decision as we renovated that building, every aesthetic decision we made. We were inspired by that name even before we selected it for our organization's name," Houston says.
Furthermore, she says the organization loves the way the new name implies a full spectrum of color and creative possibilities to connect with and inspire the next generation of creatives.
1001 Colors hires teens and young people each summer to paint murals throughout the city. To date, the organization has hired more than 8,000 people, and created more than 400 murals and completed more than 14,000 creative projects.
Works this summer will include a mural on Cincinnati Public Radio's new studios in Evanston, and one of three murals in a multi-city series honoring the Tuskegee Airmen as part of the state's America 250 celebration.
Read more:
