MillStock 2007 Poster Recognized for Excellence

Graphic artist Rick Koobs received a certificate of Special Recognition for his design of the 2007 Millstock Music & Arts Faire poster at the 2008 NC Main Street Conference on January 31, 2008 in Rocky Mount. (l-r NC Commerce Deputy Secretary Cleve Simpson; Rick Koob and NC Commerce Secretary Jim Fain.) photography by Garry E. Hodges
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The Clayton Main Street Program today announced that a local project was recognized for its excellence in the 2007 N.C. Main Street Awards competition. Among non-winners, several significant projects were singled out for their importance, including the Millstock Music and Arts Faire poster, created by Richard Koobs, which was awarded a Certificate of Special Recognition in the category of Best Printed Promotional Item: Graphics.

The N.C. Main Street Program’s annual awards competition recognizes the outstanding achievements of particpating communities in categories reflecting the four areas emphasized by Main Street: organization, design, economic restructuring and promotion. Entries are judged by a panel that includes state Main Street program staff and other professionals in downtown development, historic preservation and the arts.

Following the judging of the 62 entries nominated by 21 of the program’s communities, Office of Urban Development Director Rodney Swink remarked, “N.C. Main Street communities continue to exemplify the best in downtown redevelopment as evidenced by this year’s award-winning work. From small projects to large, the quality of investment is outstanding and getting better. Main Street and Small Town Main Street communities are the leaders, and these projects are the models from which others will learn.”

In their comments about the entries, jury members remarked that the Millstock poster captured a nostalgic feeling of the 1960s without the psychedelics of the period. They also said that the poster portrays a sense of music, art and fun. The jury complimented the great use of type face to portray and recall an earlier era.

On January 31, 2007, Swink, N.C. Secretary of Commerce James T. Fain, and Assistant Secretary of Commerce Cleve Simpson presented these awards during the North Carolina Main Street Annual Awards Program at the Imperial Centre in Rocky Mount. Each winner received an Award of Merit, and Certificates of Special Recognition were presented for several outstanding non-winning entries. Projects selected for awards are:

Best Public-Private Partnership in Downtown Revitalization
- Morganton – Morganton Trading Company AWARD

Best Fund Raising Effort
- Goldsboro – Sponsor Thank You CD Special Recognition

Best Innovation
- Salisbury – DSI/F&M Bank Revolving Fund AWARD
- Wake Forest – WFDRC Database Special Recognition

Best Economic Development Incentive Plan
- Goldsboro – Comprehensive Neighborhood Revitalization Plan AWARD
- Smithfield – Smithfield Historic Area Revitalization Plan (“S.H.A.R.P.”) AWARD

Best Adaptive Use Project
- Rocky Mount – Imperial Center AWARD
- Roxboro – Roxboro Community School AWARD

Best New Development / New Construction Project
- Goldsboro – Goldsboro City Hall Annex AWARD
- Salisbury – Firehouse Urban Lofts AWARD
- Smithfield – Neuse Office Complex AWARD

Best Historic Rehabilitation Project
- Rocky Mount – People’s Bank Building AWARD
- Smithfield – Smithfield Historic Masonic Lodge AWARD

Best Façade Rehabilitation Project
- Salisbury – McNeely-Young Building AWARD
- Rocky Mount – Davis Furniture Special Recognition

Best Public Building Improvement
- Salisbury – Salisbury Police Department AWARD

Best Outdoor Space Improvement
- Brevard – Brevard Sculpture Project AWARD
- Fuquay-Varina – Main Street Streetscape Phase 1 Special Recognition
- Lenoir – Downtown Streetscape Improvement Project Special Recognition

Best Downtown Special Event
Lenoir – Light Up Lenoir: Christmas 2006 AWARD
Wilson – Theater of the American South AWARD

Best Printed Promotional Item: Text and Graphics
- Statesville – Historic Downtown Statesville Brochure AWARD
- Salisbury – History & Art Trail Brochure Special Recognition

Best Printed Promotional Item: Graphics
- Goldsboro – Jazz on George T-shirt AWARD
- Clayton – Millstock Music & Arts Faire Poster Special Recognition

Based on economic revitalization within the context of historic preservation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation created the Main Street program to share an effective downtown revitalization strategy which they had developed for smaller towns. Selected as an original Main Street state in 1980, North Carolina has seen its program grow from five communities to 53. The economic impact of the program has grown as well. Public and private investment in North Carolina Main Street downtowns is totals more than $1 billion dollars.

The North Carolina Main Street Program provides technical assistance, education and networking opportunities to its communities. The program is part of the Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Assistance.

For video of the certificate presentation, visit www.downtownclayton.blogspot.com

The 2008 Millstock Music & Arts Faire will be held June 7 at Lombard and Second Street in downtown Clayton. For more information on the daylong event, please call Jodi at (919) 550-0174.