The future of preserving Columbus’ past is in good hands.
Landmark Columbus has transformed from a startup program tied to the Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County to its own entity in just five years.
The organization recently revealed its new name — the Landmark Columbus Foundation — along with its free-standing nonprofit status.
The Landmark Columbus Foundation is a progressive preservation effort that assists in caring for buildings, landscapes, and art in Bartholomew County while also serving to educate and advocate for the cultural resources through research, conservation, and fundraising.
A nine-member board of community leaders has been chosen to oversee the foundation’s three programs: Landmark Columbus, Exhibit Columbus, and the Columbus Design Institute.
The organization has been best known as the parent organization for Exhibit Columbus, the annual exploration of art and architecture that has re-energized the city’s design profile globally.
Landmark Columbus recently showed its value following a vandalism spree through the city. Program leaders worked alongside experts from across the country to carefully remove graffiti from Henry Moore’s classic and valuable Large Arch sculpture outside the library.
The Columbus Design Institute is a technical service initiative that promotes the value of good design that built Columbus, collaborating with partners through its design process to encourage meaningful investments in the sustainable and equitable development of communities.
The Heritage Fund will still have a connection to the nonprofit as President and Chief Executive Officer Tracy Souza is part of the Landmark Columbus Foundation board.
What Landmark Columbus has accomplished in a short time is important to not only keeping the community’s rich history intact for locals, but also to promoting the area to the rest of the state and beyond.
The organization is creating a model for other communities looking to create similar programs.
All should look forward to the future of the nonprofit, as it continues to serve the community in new ways.
