Serving our Community Through Public Art
For the past ten years Building Bridges has run three major programs, our Summer Mural Institute, our Artist in Residence , and the Artist Mentoring Program. Our Summer Mural Institute has run every summer to involve large groups of community members, 15- 19 year old artists, professional artists and community groups in the mural making process. Our Artist in Residence has brought artists to our hometown of Cleveland Ohio to be contributing artists to mural projects in our core neighborhoods. Our Artists Mentoring brings mural making practices into mental health facilities, juvenile detention centers, and public schools to provide at risk youth an opportunity to become creative leaders in socially engaged public art. Our community partners with our Artists Mentoring Program are instrumental in bringing creative practices into environments of healing, recovery and reconciliation.
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Summer Mural Institute
The Summer Mural Institute each year builds teams of emerging artists ages 16-21 with professional mural artists. We work in partnership with job placement agencies to open opportunities to youth for creative career options. Each of our projects are partnerships with our local community development corporations, neighborhood center, churches, and local schools. Our projects recreate locations that were vacant into monumental works of public art. |
Artist in Residence
Building Bridges was founded with the support of multiple church communities of the near west side in Cleveland Ohio. Artists are often creating sacred spaces with their work, no matter what their background may be. Our practices of creating sacred spaces has been explored through several visiting artists. Each artist creates temporary public art for sites in need of revitalization. . |
Artist Mentoring Program
Restorative practices in the creative arts are necessary to reinvigorate and restore the lives of those who are suffering. Artists naturally see the opportunity to engage fear and anger through making. Building Bridges merged their mural making practices into residential treatment centers, juvenile detention facilities, and schools for behaviorally challenged youth over the past eight years. The youth we brought creative outlets to were hungry for alternative ways to express anger, pain and fear. The principals of peace building we practiced through the arts were aligned with conflict resolution trainings by pastor Doug Horner of the United Church of Christ. We worked directly with our judges and probation officers to build strong adult networks for youth at risk of remaining in the systems of repercussions. We provided alternatives through restorative peace building. Cleveland Christian home, Applewood Residential Center now house our murals. |
ClientsWashington State Labor Council
Epilepsy Association Housing Network Applewood Center Larchmere Community Dev. Corp Individual sites in your neighborhood |
AwardsSeattle Arts and Culture
Ohio Arts Council Cuyahoga Arts and Culture The Gund Foundation The Bruening Foundation The Wean Foundation The Newman Foundation The Cleveland Foundation The United Church of Christ The Presbyterian Church USA |
Publications- Wall Street Journal
- New York Times - Art News -Art in American -The Plain Dealer |
InterviewsApplause Interview-NPR
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