CLEVELAND, OH.- The Cleveland Museum of Art opened its Community Arts Center, in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood of Cleveland’s near west side. The CMA also launched Parade the City, an iteration of Parade the Circle designed to respond to the difficulty this year of bringing together large numbers of people.
The Community Arts Center houses the museum’s community arts staff and education outreach program. The community arts program creates arts experiences for audiences of all ages throughout Greater Cleveland by offering artmaking activities and events that encourage community and artist collaboration and highlight connections with the museum’s collections. Programs include Parade the Circle, Chalk Festival, Winter Lights Lantern Festival and Studio Go. In addition, and for the first time, the Community Arts Center gives the museum a dedicated space to properly store large puppets, costumes, art-making supplies and more.
The Community Arts Center offers opportunities for residents in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood and beyond to connect with the arts. It features art displays and free hands-on art activities and experiences. The inaugural exhibition, Parade the Circle: Celebrating 30 Years of Art and Community, opening in tandem with the center, features a varied collection of puppets, costumes and masks created by artists and the community that reflect diverse cultures and global art traditions.
“The establishment of a Community Arts Center is a key goal of our 2017 strategic plan, and with this new space, we expand our footprint into a vibrant, urban neighborhood on the city’s west side,” said William M. Griswold, director of the CMA. “We hope to connect with new audiences through a range of arts programs and look forward to collaborating with neighborhood partners to enrich the transformative experiences that we offer to all audiences.”
The Community Arts Center is a 20,000-square-foot space located within the former Astrup Awning factory complex. It increases access to the arts by engaging with diverse new audiences that may not yet be involved with on-site museum programming. The CMA worked in partnership with Clark Fulton Together, a resident-driven master plan headed by MetroHealth Hospital, the City of Cleveland, Metro West Community Development Organization and local businesses to develop program content that meets community needs.
Visitors to the center may view Parade the Circle: Celebrating 30 Years of Art and Community and enjoy independent art making. In the summer and fall, as COVID-19 safety restrictions are lifted, the Community Arts Center will offer even more programming:
• Daily studio and gallery experiences for schools and community groups, with tours and activities led by local artists
• Daily public hours with studio and gallery experiences
• Classes and workshops led by local teaching artists for children, adults and families
• Drop-in activities for all ages
• Guest artist workspaces
• Conservation projects
• After-school arts experiences and summer camps
• Activities and workspaces for community members participating in Parade the Circle, Chalk Festival and the Lantern Festival
The Community Arts Center will be open Wednesday to Friday, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Parade the City
To coincide with the opening of the Community Arts Center, the CMA announces Parade the City. Due to the impact of COVID-19 on large public gatherings, the CMA has reimagined Parade the Circle 2021. Parade the City keeps the spirit of the annual event alive by pairing local artists with community groups to create celebratory art installations throughout Cleveland at community locations.
Parade the City features eight installations created by the artists with the help of eight community groups including Cleveland School of the Arts, Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center, Esperanza, Karamu House, Extended Family, LGBT Community Center, Cleveland Public Library’s South Branch and PIVOT Center for Arts, Dance and Expression.
