MetroHealth, LAND studio and Metro West Community Development Organization Unveil Clark-Fulton Public Art Project

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LAND Studio, Metro West Community Development Organization and The MetroHealth System announced the completion of a public art project that splashed vivid colors across Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood with a collection of murals and other artwork celebrating the vibrant culture and rich heritage of the people who live there.

The project engaged local artists to create nine murals and a series of pole banners to be positioned in high-visibility locations and community gathering spaces. Wayfinding stencil kits also were designed and distributed to residents and businesses for use throughout the neighborhood. The $235,000 project was funded by MetroHealth and LAND studio and is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Coordinators sought input from Clark-Fulton residents and business owners throughout the project’s planning process. The resulting artwork is a display of the neighborhood’s pride in its Latinx identity and provides a distinctive sense of place.

“This artwork reflects the neighborhood,” said Greg Zucca, MetroHealth’s Executive Director of Community Transformation. “A lot of times, people drive through the neighborhood down West 25^th Street or down Fulton Road and most don’t really know about the richness of the people and the culture that exists here. The artwork is a way to celebrate and honor the people who live here, grow here and call this place home.”

Nick De Leon, Associate Director of Metro West Community Development Organization, said the project also promises to have a positive economic impact on the Clark-Fulton neighborhood.

“We believe this project will activate underutilized spaces, increase foot traffic, improve the conditions of our commercial corridors and foster an environment that is welcoming and uses art to accentuate liveliness and economic value,’’ he said.

The pole banners, created by artist Alicia Vasquez, focus on the themes of culture, unity, pride and community and hang along streets throughout the neighborhood. The Clark-Fulton Wayfinding Stencil Kits were designed by Jen Craun to give residents a chance to have a hand in creating temporary art installations.

“Public art is a critical tool in community building and instilling pride and a sense of belonging for residents,” said Greg Peckham, Executive Director of LAND studio. “But it’s important that the community itself has a say in the medium, art, subject matter and location. The work spans an array of themes and styles, and a neighborhood art committee and other neighborhood stakeholders helped us develop a theme of hope and resilience, welcoming brightness and color and inclusivity.”

The murals of various local artists can be seen on buildings and in park spaces along West 25^th Street, Fulton Road and other nearby streets.

• Lisa Quine’s mural, covering two sides of the MetroHealth Outpatient Plaza, offers a bilingual message of unity: Many Hearts, One Community | Muchos Corazones, Una Comunidad.
• A mural designed by Dante Rodriguez and painted by Mike Sobeck transformed the building and plaza of Meyer Pool from an expanse of concrete into a colorful space that reflects the joy of childhood summers.
• Donald Wells’ Fulton Road mural represents the neighborhood’s traditions surrounding art and creativity.
• Bruno Casiano’s mural on West 25^th Street invites discussion of social issues and challenges facing the community.
• Artist Hilda “Higo” Gabarrón Ordorica’s whimsical bumble bees, painted by Mike Sobeck on the Coney Island Kustard stand on Fulton Road, call out to neighbors and visitors to “bee happy.”
• Alicia Vasquez’s mural of a woman health care provider on West 25^th Street reflects the neighborhood’s dedication to caring for its own.
• Angelica Pozo enlisted the help of community members for the installation of her ceramic-tile mural at Roberto Clemente Park depicting the neighborhood’s Hispanic-American traditions and celebrations.
• Natalie Lanese’s mural on West 25^th Street brings abstract color to the streetscape.
• The Pearl Road mural by Augusto Bordelois celebrates the culture of the community.

Linda Jackson, Director of MetroHealth Center for Arts in Health, said further plans call for a tenth mural, designed by artist Dayz Wuhn, to be completed at the Vía Sana housing development at a future date. Project coordinators also are developing ideas for an art installation featuring the repurposed steeple from St. Nicholas Belarusian Orthodox Church as part of the transformation of MetroHealth’s main campus.

Additional support for the Clark-Fulton Public Art Project comes through the MetroHealth Foundation, the Cleveland Foundation’s Creative Fusion Program and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. To watch a video about the project, click here.