Ripple Effects Photo Contest

Our goal is to view water—from raindrops and puddles to Beargrass Creek and the Ohio River—through multiple lenses of Art, Culture, and the Environment. Ripple Effects organizes a K-12 photo contest and a large exhibit at the Kentucky State Fair. The Louisville Free Public Library Foundation provides financial management and Ripple Effects is organized by a variety of community organizations: Previous winning photos were included in the Festival of Faiths annual book, featured with the Photo biennial PUMP exhibits where 8 of the student photos are large posters on all of the Community Boat House in Louisville’s Waterfront Park.

In 2024, we are offering the photo contest, working with the state fair and the PUMP project. Our goals aim to provide young community members with opportunities to: 1. Celebrate Kentuckianna natural water and youth's creative talent. 2. Photograph water during rainy and sunny days in Kentuckianna. 3. Use images to tell stories about rainwater, extreme precipitation and water quality. 4. Envision ways of restoring and protecting healthy waterways throughout Metro Louisville. 5. Participate in forums based on how images tell stories about Ohio River and its tributaries. This year’s 2024 Ripple Effects photo contest asks participants to submit images that reflect what clean and healthy creeks and rivers mean to them. What do you see around your communities’ rivers, streams and ponds that make you think about clean water? Is it a beautiful waterfall or the plants and animals found in or near water? Is it where you play, swim or boat with your friends and family? Maybe you see litter, erosion, flooding, or rainwater runoff; whatever it is tell a story with pictures! One exciting development for 2024 is a opportunities to work with other institutions in Kentucky as well as several from around the US and other countries who also is hosting a ripple effects contest. Plans are in the works to have a joint zoom meeting of the award winners. The following are proposed 2024 activities. 1. Ripple Effects Photo Contest flyer and social media promotion. 2. Three Ripple Effects Photo workshops for K-12 – Louisville Photo Society and Kentucky Center for African American Heritage. - Workshops will be at Louisville Waterfront, Falls of the Ohio State Park and Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing. 3. Host an international Ripple Effects Winners Zoom call. 4. Ripple Effects Photo submission platform hosted by the Louisville Free Public Library. 5. Kentucky State Fair - Ripple Effects Photo Contest Awards Ceremony - display of the photos along with other water related exhibits and activities for 11 days. 6. The award-winning photos will be featured on the Ripple Effects webpage hosted by the Louisville Free Public Library. 7. The Winning photos will be printed on poster size prints and hung around Kentuckianna in an out door photo show. 8. The Kentucky Division of Water and the Louisville Free Public Library are exploring the potential of expanding the photo contest to other Kentucky watersheds. The Ripple Effects photo contest and state fair exhibit supports Louisville sustainability goals by focusing on Water and engaging the wider community in the confluence of art, culture, and our environment.