LAND studio’s mission is to create places and connect people through public art, sustainable building and design, collaborative planning, and dynamic programming. Their vision is to make Cleveland a city filled with vibrant, textured places that unite, inspire, and enrich its people. You will meet at the LAND studio offices to hear about the role the arts play in building community and breaking down barriers. You will participate in a walking tour of recent murals completed by artists from Cleveland and around the world. You will tour the Gordon Square Arts District and learn about an amazing new series of murals in the community with the project manager and local artist for the mural project.
The Morgan Conservatory is the largest arts center in the United States dedicated to every facet of papermaking, book arts and letterpress printing and to cultivating the talents of established and emerging artists. An international destination that is free and open to the public, the Morgan Conservatory is a working studio, gallery, gathering place for the community, educational hub and purveyor of some of the finest handmade papers in the world. You will tour the Conservatory and see the various studios, projects, and garden. After a presentation about the work and mission of the Conservatory, you will participate in two mini-workshops on papermaking and print making. You will use Kozo grown in their unique Kozo garden on the premises to provide fiber for specialized papers.
Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM) is a non-profit providing innovative social enterprise job-training, civic engagement strategies, and programs that offer an avenue for employment for those who are living on the margins. You will head to the Social Enterprise Center for a tour of the facility and a presentation on the work of LMM. Their culinary arts training program, “Chopping for Change”, is an innovative partnership between LMM and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. “Chopping for Change” provides significant work experience and training for people in the criminal justice system that empowers them to re-join the labor force.
Ingenuity Cleveland’s mission is to ignite the creative spark where the arts, science, and technology intersect. By animating Cleveland’s urban spaces with world-class, innovative experiences, Ingenuity provides a unique platform to explore the boundaries of art and technology. You will meet with the staff at Ingenuity Cleveland, a local non-profit organization that works to showcase innovation through collaboration. The morning will include a tour of the Hamilton Collaborative, an incubator workspace that supports local artisans and innovators. The session will culminate with a service project to help prepare for IngenuityFest, an arts, innovation and technology festival taking place in September.
Cleveland is home to thousands of refugees. “While every refugee’s story is different and their anguish personal, they all share a common thread of uncommon courage – the courage not only to survive, but to persevere and rebuild their shattered lives.” -Antonio Guterres, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. You will meet with leaders in the community and learn what is involved in refugee resettlement in Cleveland. You will hear the personal stories of refugees and participate in a service activity with the women at Mary’s House, a home for mothers and children who are refugees.
The City of Cleveland’s Office of Sustainability leverages Cleveland’s wealth of assets by collaborating with the community to improve the economic, environmental, and social well-being of its citizens. You will learn about sustainability efforts in Cleveland and how the city has transformed since the Cuyahoga River caught fire 50 years ago. You will hear from local leaders about Sustainable Cleveland 2019, a 10-year initiative to get residents working together to design and develop a thriving and resilient Cleveland. You will also participate in a service project with the Ohio City Bicycle Co-op.
The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) organizes and empowers homeless and at-risk men, women, and children through public education, advocacy, and the creation of nurturing environments to find solutions to homelessness. You will encounter people experiencing homelessness in Cleveland as well as staff members at organizations working to serve this population. You will tour the Bishop Cosgrove Center, the intake center for all individuals experiencing homeless, and a presentation by NEOCH’s Street Voices program. You will have the opportunity to do a variety of service projects to support the work of the center.
League Park is one of the Historic Ballparks in the U.S. and the original home of the Cleveland Indians. It was a place for baseball pioneers and served as a great stage for baseball to grow and develop as America’s national pastime. The field opened on May 1, 1891 with the legendary Cy Young pitching for Cleveland before 9,000 fans. From 1942-1950, the Cleveland Buckeyes, a Negro league baseball team, played in the Negro American League at League Park. At League Park you will explore the role that baseball played in the city and region. The contributions of the Negro League and baseball heroes will be covered. You will also meet LaJean Ray, Executive Director from the Fatima Family Center across the street who is one of our hometown heroes. You will team up and have the unique opportunity to play a baseball game on this historic field with your new classmates.
Community Greenhouse Partners is a sustainable urban farm that applies ecological design principles and engages community participation to grow wholesome food year-round that is provided at low-cost to the neighborhood, improving personal health while generating training, mentoring and employment opportunities. You will learn about the issue of food insecurity: what it means, who is affected, and what the structural causes are. You will also hear from those who are working on this sustainable urban farm. You will have time to lend a hand in a variety of ways at this innovative urban venture.
Discover the rich history and bright future of one of Cleveland’s historic neighborhoods. The Famicos Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life in greater Cleveland through neighborhood revitalization, affordable housing and integrated social services. Famicos has created over 1,000 apartments and homes for those most in need: low wage-earning families, seniors, the chronically homeless and those with disabilities. You will hear directly from Famicos staff and take a walking tour around the neighborhood to experience first-hand many of the community assets strengthened through Famicos’ work, such as the Madison (an event space showcasing “historic industrialism and modern minimalism”, a community garden, and an arts campus.