As Charleston's newest nonprofit civic and artistic emissary, Enough Pie is focused on collaborating with its community to create and sustain a resolute art and design district on the Upper Peninsula.

The brainchild of long-time Charleston resident Kate Nevin, Enough Pie was conceived as a thread weaving community members, local business owners and other organizations together with the burgeoning creative sector the Holy City has to offer. By actively contributing project grants to inquiring applicants and strategically assembling coordinators, artists and resources into action groups, EP’s goal is to most positively impact Charleston’s creative community by synergizing creativity and industry. Ultimately, its work includes transformative placemaking -- community collaborations, neighborhood branding, creative programming, artist interventions, and sustainable streetscape design -- in order to infuse a once dreary, forgotten part of town with a lively and creative business sector.

That’s not as straightforward as it sounds, though.

Initially, EP had to consult a number of resources, including reports published by Parliament and the Charleston Development Alliance, to gather information about how it can be most effective in serving its community. After gaining a general understanding of its environment, it used its most celebrated business partner -- the surrounding community – to take its next step toward actualizing art-civic development: it held Muster Plan.

Described on its website as “an arts-driven, unconventional approach to a community planning meeting,” Muster Plan used panoramic photos of the Upper Peninsula as a means of inspiring attendees to express their community building strategies and values, and to divulge how EP could be most efficiently utilized during that process.

According to Director of Communications and Community Outreach Claire Johnson, EP is contingent on the fact that its “efforts will be community driven, so the Muster Plan results will play a key role in shaping [EP’s] activities in the months to come…We asked attendees what role they want us to play point blank but it was exciting and reassuring to hear that they have some innovative and fresh ideas for collaboration.”

As for what’s going on right now, Johnson says that EP is “connecting the dots and taking the next steps” toward “turning momentum into action.” She attributes EP’s January launch and February’s Muster Plan as being inspirational, but recognizes that mobilizing community stakeholders and continuing to integrate EP into the community are the necessary steps to ensure organizational and collective success.

“We do have another event on the horizon, but can’t share any details just yet,” Johnson said. “Think large-scale arts installation – including the visual arts, performing arts, you name it – on the Upper Peninsula. But you’ll just have to stay tuned!”