Trenton, NJ — January 12, 2026 — Isles, Inc., through its Creek to Canal Creative program, is highlighting the winners of the Downtown Holiday Storefront Contest, a creative placemaking initiative that paired local artists with downtown Trenton businesses to transform storefront windows into vibrant holiday displays throughout the season.

Winners were selected earlier this week following a two-stage process that included public voting and evaluation by a panel of local artists and creative professionals. The project featured 16 artists collaborating with 16 businesses to activate storefronts with art, color, and seasonal energy. Submissions were judged on creativity, visual impact, execution, collaboration, and overall presentation.

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The Top 3 winning teams are:

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• 1st Place – $500: Togetherness
  Artist: Bernard DelaCruz
  Business: Better Mornings Bagels​​​​​​​​​​

• 2nd Place – $300: North Pole Pizza
  Artist: Justin Thayer
  Business: Fabio’s Pizza​​​​​​​​​​​​​

• 3rd Place – $200: Ugly Sweater Party
  Artist: T. Renarda
  Business: BiCoastal Collection​

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Both the artist and participating business received awards, and all participating artists received stipends in recognition of their time, skill, and effort in producing public-facing artwork.

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“The Downtown Holiday Storefront Contest highlights how artists and small businesses can work together to activate downtown spaces and create meaningful experiences for the community,” said Chris Shimchick, Assistant Director of Community Planning & Development at Isles. “This project demonstrates how creative placemaking brings new energy and visibility to the businesses that anchor our downtown.”

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More than 450 residents and visitors participated in public voting, and the displays drew enthusiastic feedback from customers, passersby, and business owners. The success of the contest reinforces Isles’ ongoing efforts to support creative talent, strengthen commercial corridors, and increase foot traffic in downtown Trenton.

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“At Isles, we believe creativity is a catalyst for community pride and economic activity,” said Laura Fenster Rothschild, Chief Operating Officer of Isles, Inc. “The Creek to Canal initiative is helping us build connections between local artists, entrepreneurs, and residents—and the response to this contest shows just how powerful those connections can be.”

Artwork will remain on display through January, with removals scheduled for the week of January 25–31.

A virtual tour of participating storefronts can be found atwww.creektocanalcreative.org. Creek to Canal Creative is a program of Isles dedicated to elevating local artists and enhancing public spaces across the city.

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About Isles

Isles is a nonprofit organization that approaches community development differently. The agency offers a wide range of interconnected services with a single goal: creating the environment necessary for individuals to build and enjoy healthy lives and thrive in their own ways. Rooted in Trenton, but impacting communities statewide, Isles challenges and changes inequitable systems by developing innovative solutions that create healthy homes, safe and flourishing communities, green spaces and gardens, educational resources, transportation systems, job training, and pathways to financial security. For 45 years, Isles has served tens of thousands of people in Trenton, Mercer County, and beyond.