Vote for the 2017 Big Idea Award Winner!
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The Big Idea Award is a Creative York Award that recognizes an event, program, proposal, or effort that has a positive impact on our community.

Please take a moment  to read about our inspiring nominees below and then vote for which nominee you think should receive the 2017 Creative York Big Idea Award!

The winner of the Big Idea Award will be announced at the Creative York Awards at the Valencia Ballroom on October 27th! All three nominees will be celebrated at the event. Tickets are on sale until October 20th. Let's celebrate York together! 
 


The HUMAN LIBRARY: YORK event brings together a "library" of people as "books," each representing a person or group in the community that may be somehow exposed to stigma, prejudice, and/or discrimination. The event aims to establish a safe conversational space where difficult questions are expected, appreciated, and answered. Patrons are invited to become "readers" by taking a "book" person out on loan for a conversation on the topic/issue that they represent. Conversations are offered to a duration of approximately thirty minutes. This is not a storytelling session, but rather an experience in sharing with built in Q & A. The outcome of the session and direction of the talk is dependent on what the reader asks about. Both parties are able to ask any questions they'd like, as well as choose to not respond to ones they don't feel comfortable answering. Additionally, either party reserves the right to end the conversation at any point they wish. 
Visit their website to watch the videos of the event and learn more: Human Library: York
 


TASTE TEST is a "restaurant incubator" in downtown York in the Royal Square District. Taste Test helps aspiring restaurateurs achieve their restaurant dreams by going through a mentorship process to develop their concepts. The aspiring restaurateurs then have a short term audition, two weeks, to showcase their idea to the York community. If they are successful in their short term pop up, they then have a chance at running a long term pop up, about 3 months, to essentially run their own restaurant. At the end of their long term pop up, they will have the opportunity to open their own brick and mortar location, using alternative funding options developed by Taste Test. These aspiring restaurateurs need not have a dime to participate- just a good idea and lots of elbow grease. Visit their website to learn more: http://www.tastetestyork.com/
 
YWCA TEMPLE GUARD DRILL TEAM PROGRAM


THE YWCA TEMPLE GUARD DRILL TEAM PROGRAM is a mentoring program based on discipline and focus that trains youth in grades K-12 in military-style boot-camp marching and dance to the accompaniment of heart pounding drums. Once they reach 8th grade, all members of the Temple Guard are also enrolled into the Quantum Opportunities Program, an after-school program for female and male students focusing on development in three areas: education, community service, and life-skill development. Students earn money for continuing education while participating in programs that teach new skills. The program includes tutoring, homework help, and software programs to improve skills and computer labs for school projects. It is the mission of the Temple Guard to serve as a mentor for youth of all ages, races, religions and economic backgrounds. We exist to enrich lives by teaching respect for one another and elders in and around their neighborhood. To set a higher standard of living as a role models for others on the streets and in school. To settle for no less than a passing grade in all subjects. Visit their website to learn more: YWCA Temple Guard