Assembly For the Arts has announced that 16 artists are receiving grants to create work in Cleveland and East Cleveland. Each $6,250 award goes to projects in communities marked in red that are traditionally underinvested in art. Artists will also receive professional development opportunities and support from Assembly for the Arts, an arts and cultural advocacy group in the region.
Some of the projects receiving support include an ice cream truck that has been converted into a portable recording studio and an elderly visual artist whose work focuses on the impact of domestic violence. The grants are drawn from $140,000 in Cuyahoga Arts and Culture funds.
“You’re going to see neighborhoods that we don’t always associate with arts and culture,” said Assembly Speaker Jeremy Johnson. Calling the areas “tied to potential,” he said many of the artists have been living and working in the neighborhoods for years.
“I don’t want to say that we are bringing the arts to the communities,” he said. “We are ‘highlighting’ the arts and culture that already exist and helping them to flourish further.”
For every $6,250 grant, 40% is unrestricted and can be used for living expenses. Johnson said he hopes the grants will attract additional support for projects in communities marked in red.
“Cleveland is full of great community organizations and development corporations,” he said. “We can’t do enough of this.”
The full list of Creative Impact Fund awards:
*Shadi Ayoub: Let’s print together! (Visual Arts, Graphic Design, and Crafts; Upper St. Clair, Clark Fulton, or Asiatown)
*Alexander Corona: Roots: Dances of Mexico (Dance; St. Clair Superior)
*Moises De Freitas: Afro-Brazilian Cultural Appreciation Initiative (Dance, Music, Writing/Literature; East Cleveland)
*Dale Goode: Domestic Violence Isn’t Pretty (Visual Arts, East Cleveland)
*Natasha Herbert: The Avenue Cleveland Youth Photography Program (Film/Media; Midtown, Upper St. Clair; Central-Kinsman; or East Cleveland)
*Baba Jubal Harris: Heart Beat Drum Circle (Music; East Cleveland)
*Stephanie Lassiter: The Girl (Film/Media; Mt. Pleasant)
*Josh Maxwell: ROOTED (Visual Arts; Broadway-Slavic Village)
*Adenike Mosley-Brown: Doddle (Visual Arts; Central Kin; North and South Collinwood)
*Robin Robinson: Recapture the Spirit of Our Community Park (Visual Arts; Glenville)
*Georgio Sabino: Artistic Jungle Series (Visual Arts, Fashion; Fairfax)
*Julie Schabel: Wave Space Summer Camps (Visual Arts; North & South Collinwood; Hough; Central Kinsman; Union Miles; or Upper St. Clair)
*Ben Smith: The Splice Cream Spliced Team Dream Concert Series (Music and Visual Arts; Buckeye Woodhill)
*Julia Sosa: El Romántico (Theatre, Writing/Literature; Clark Fulton)
*Mary Thomas: U & I of Euclid Avenue (Visual Art; East Cleveland)
*Linda Zolten Wood: Sustainable Arts with Zolten Wood Design and Collinwood Painted Rain Barrel Project (Visual Arts, Crafts; East Cleveland and North Collinwood)
