Home Latest Stories Art and Culture Calling artists to paint a rain barrel to Save Local Waters

Calling artists to paint a rain barrel to Save Local Waters

Dec 31, 2015

Fifty designs will be selected for Rain Barrel Art Benefit Auction during the zoo’s Party for the Planet event

SaveLocalWaters.Org is calling artists to submit their artwork for the 4^th Annual Rain Barrel Art Project. The project is an initiative designed to educate the community about water conservation and pollution caused by storm water runoff. The deadline for receiving submissions is Jan. 16.

The Rain Barrel Art Project is a joint effort of SaveLocalWaters.org and the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. As part of this initiative, community members throughout the Ohio River Valley are encouraged to submit artistic designs to beautify otherwise dull rain barrels. Fifty of those designs will be selected, and the submitting artists will be given the opportunity to paint them on rain barrels that will be displayed at the Cincinnati Zoo’s Go Green Garden through April and auctioned off during the Rain Barrel Art Benefit Auction on April 21, 2016.

“Rain barrels are a great tool for conserving water and saving money, but some people are reluctant to use them because of their usually plain, unappealing appearance,” said John Nelson, a representative of SaveLocalWaters.org and a public relations specialist. “We believe that turning rain barrels into beautiful works of art will make them more desirable, so we’re pleased to collaborate on this event to raise awareness and encourage the use of rain barrels throughout the region.”

The painted rain barrels will be auctioned off on April 21, 2016, during the zoo’s Party for the Planet event, with proceeds benefitting conservation education in the Ohio River Valley. “The zoo is thrilled to be hosting the rain barrel event once again. As the ‘Greenest Zoo in America,’ we are always looking for ways to inspire our community to take action that can impact the environment in positive ways,” said Sophia Cifuentes, the zoo’s sustainability coordinator.

For more information regarding the Rain Barrel Art Project or SaveLocalWaters.org, contact John Nelson at (513) 680-9373 or visit the website at http://www.savelocalwaters.org/2016-project.

WHAT IS A RAIN BARREL?

According to the EPA, “A rain barrel is a system that collects and stores rainwater from your roof that would otherwise be lost to runoff and diverted to storm drains and streams”. Rain barrels are especially helpful for collecting water in times of drought, and can easily be constructed or bought prefabricated. The water collected in rain barrels can be used to water plants or wash cars. Find more information on rain barrels here.

Save Local Waters sponsors the Rain Barrel Art Project to educate the public on environmental issues like storm water runoff, watersheds and water conservation. The Rain Barrel Art Project invites local artists to design and paint rain barrels that are auctioned off at the Cincinnati Zoo. To get involved or for more information, click here.