8ShadesofGray

The percentage gains in those 4 tracts over the decade are pretty astounding, too. % Change, 2000 - 2010 107101 Warehouse District 43.5% 107701 CSU, E 12/13, Superior 57.4% 107802 Gateway, South CSU 54.7% 1033 Flats West, Lakeview 87.2% This is definitely a smaller coverage area than Brookings used in "Who Lives Downtown", as these tracts had an overall 2000 population of 7,504 (compared with Brookings' number of 9,599 downtown Cleveland residents). Regardless, what's interesting is that Brookings found that among 45 downtowns across the US, Cleveland had the 6th largest % increase in downtown population between 1990 and 2000 (more % growth than any other downtown they examined in the Midwest, Northeast and South). That was with a 32.2% increase. If I did the math correctly, we experienced a 55.8% increase between 2000 and 2010, which is pretty astounding, particularly when you take into account that this happened during a period of two recessions, massive loss of jobs in manufacturing, losing National City and Eaton, the lending crisis, etc. Good work, lil Cleve :)

A new Cleveland artist-based community development program is going to be announced on April 4th, along with the release of a pretty massive study about where artists are locating within Cuyahoga County and where they're most likely to locate in the future. On Monday, April 4, 2011, from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. at the Idea Center, CPAC will present new research and a brand new artist neighborhood program we think you should know about. Below you’ll find some brief information about the special event: •Where do artists live? What drives their choices to live in one neighborhood over another? Aiming to answer these questions and more, CPAC commissioned an analysis by Northern Ohio Data and Information Service (NODIS) at Cleveland State University. Join us for a sneak peak of the findings as we “home” in on Cleveland artists. •Three years ago, CPAC launched a regional dialogue about how communities can work together with artists to transform the Rust Belt to an Artist Belt. That conversation continues at the next iteration of the conference focused on the creative supply chain in Detroit, Michigan April 6-7, 2011 (www.rustbelttoartistbelt.com). Before that, join us as we move from dialogue to action through a new artist neighborhood program. You won’t want to miss it. http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1438561777

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing re: the Near West Side. I would add % 25 and above and Bachelor's or higher to the list to watch for positive change. I was more just really surprised to see increases in Asiatown, Central and Fairfax ... Not to say efforts haven't been made in all of those areas, but surprising to me nonetheless. Looking forward to seeing specific numbers for downtown. I would anticipate a 20% or more increase means we're looking at 12,000 or more.

Despite falling under a population of 400,000 the Plain Dealer is reporting that downtown Cleveland saw a population increase of 20% or more between 2000 and 2010. Outside of that, it appears that the other areas of population increase were University Circle, some pockets on the southwest side (Riverside/Jefferson), in Euclid-Green, and interestingly, in Goodrich-Kirtland (east end of downtown / Asiatown area), Fairfax and Central. Despite the obvious revitalization taking place on the Near West Side, according to the PD's initial coverage, those nabes still lost population. For the life of me, I can't track down the census tracts I need to pull specific numbers for downtown :( Map available at http://media.cleveland.com/metro/photo/10wg1acensusjpg-f6f521b5b0b769a5.jpg.

I could be crazy, but wasn't the easternmost buildings / lots a) not currently being utilized (outside of surface parking) and b) already under city ownership? Last I had heard, they were still looking to do some development on that particular part of the site.

I'll take that as a no. Haha.

Yeah, the last few times I've been, it hasn't been open. I actually really loved that place ... I thought the food was delic ... The Montreal was a real treat and also loved the lemon crepe! :) A real shame if it's gone.

Two more artists featured this week ... Sarah Willis's Story Sarah talks about becoming a renowned author despite growing up with dyslexia, the film adaptation of her novel and where she draws inspiration for her work. Bruce Checefsky's Story Bruce talks about the availability of space in Cleveland and how it impacted his photography, as well as his innovative process of photography using a flatbed photography.

Last I heard, they were scheduled to have a soft opening this Friday.

Thought this video might be interesting within this conversation ... Several local artists explain what draws them to Cleveland / Cuyahoga County and talk about how grant funds can be pivotal in getting artists to move here / stay here. As background, the Creative Workforce Fellowship annually provides $20,000 Fellowships and support services to 20 Cuyahoga County artists of all disciplines. In its first three years, the program has distributed nearly $1.3 million to 65 local artists, making it one of the largest local grant programs for artists in the country. The Creative Workforce Fellowship - One Story, Many Voices

Thought you guys would enjoy this ... Local artists talking about why they love the Cleve :) As background, the Creative Workforce Fellowship is annually providing $20,000 Fellowships and support services to 20 Cuyahoga County artists of all disciplines. In its first three years, the program has distributed nearly $1.3 million to 65 local artists, making it one of the largest local grant programs for artists in the country. The Creative Workforce Fellowship - One Story, Many Voices

Some examples of how the tobacco excise tax for arts and culture is affecting local artists ... And what those artists are in turn doing in our community. As background, the Creative Workforce Fellowship annually provides $20,000 Fellowships and support services to 20 Cuyahoga County artists of all disciplines. In its first three years, the program has distributed nearly $1.3 million to 65 local artists, making it one of the largest local grant programs for artists in the country. The program is run by the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture and funded by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture through the support of Cuyahoga County citizens. The Community Partnership for Arts and Culture has released 6 of these videos to date, out of a full 40 that will be out over the next couple of months. You can see them all at http://www.vimeo.com/user5360704/videos. Since there's going to be 40 of these, let me know if you guys are interested in these. I don't want to overwhelm this thread if people aren't interested, but if they are, happy to embed them here. Let me know :) Charmaine Spencer's Story Charmaine talks about her environmental sculptures, being inspired in her work by her father's carpentry work and her work teaching inner-city kids environmental sculpture work. David Hansen's Story David talks about his theatre work, the inspiration he draws from Cleveland and how personal tragedy has informed his writing. Mikaela Clark's Story Mikaela talks about how she choreographs modern dance, how she addresses social issues through her art and how she's currently working to raise awareness of the global sex trade.

How immediate to Tyler? The new Asian Town Center across the street is pretty freaking amazing. I think China Merchandise Exhibit about a block to your west is great kitsch. Josaphat Arts Hall on 33rd is really interesting and unexpected. Tink Holl is another hidden treasure. And you can't go wrong with Koko Bakery on 38th and Payne. There are two dozen restaurants in the nabe, probably half a dozen Asian markets, dozens of tucked away artist spaces ... Just kind of depends on who your audience would be.

^ I thought the same thing. That definitely seemed to be a subtext of the article. Not suggesting any impropriety, but I found the wording that Councilman Johnson used in describing Brickman as "people whose opinions I respect who are not stakeholders in it" and "I've been around 30 years and I'm not riding his horse" a) peculiar and b) like he was trying a little too hard to make it look like this advice was above the board. That, coupled with the fact that he's advocating a development strangely akin to what Brickman suggested, seems a little odd to me.

^ I'm pretty sure those are pretty current renderings. As far as I know, the harvest moon / outdoor dining room concept was built to coincide with efforts around the approach Market Centennial, replacing some earlier renderings of a Market Square renovation that was proposed several years back.

^ Your response was HILARIOUS. :D

My impression has been that both 2100 and the Women's Shelter on Payne (22ndish?) are both generally beyond recommended capacity. I guess that doesn't mean that people might not be guaranteed a bed elsewhere, though. Cleveland does have an anti-panhandling ordinance, but I believe it's set up in an area pretty narrowly around Public Square; I have seen it enforced at least twice on Public Square. While I understand people's discomfort with it, it's a more pronounced problem in other cities, and as many forumers have suggested, the real solution is not trying to hide our citizens with fewer means and instead focusing on increasing the number of other pedestrians downtown. More eyes on the street = more comfort with people of all different backgrounds.

^ Good points. Keep in mind, though, how variable distribution channels are. Some artists sell primarily through direct distribution like fairs or a space of their own, some sell primarily from a retail perspective and some from a wholesale perspective. And when we talk about recruiting artists into Cleveland neighborhoods, we're generally talking about artists very broadly ... Not just fine artists who sell in galleries but also musicians, filmmakers, theatre artists, dancers, fashion designers, graphic designers, product designers, poets, architects, furniture crafters, glassblowers, freelance journalists, etc. Artists have all sorts of distribution channels, some that are more dependent on the local market being able to provide them income than others. One interesting thing happening in Cleveland now is a movement toward subsector research. In addition to doing research on the arts and culture sector at large, the Community Partnership for Arts & Culture is starting to do more niche-based research on different artistic disciplines. First up is music ... Looking at how musicians make their money, where they get it from (i.e. what types of income and where it's earned), how they spend it, how they plug into the broader economy, etc. The study's looking at everyone from the Orchestra and the Rock Hall to bands to K-12 music teachers and really trying to get a fuller sense of the entire music ecosystem. Armed with this better understanding of how the industry really works, I think Cleveland will be in a better position to help artists distribute their work like you were recommending.

Cleveland RTA will shelve new services as ODOT cuts $10 million in statewide transit money By Tom Breckenridge, The Plain Dealer Wednesday, February 09, 2011 CLEVELAND, Ohio -- RTA will shelve plans to expand its popular trolley service and better link college campuses downtown following cuts announced Tuesday by the Ohio Department of Transportation. ODOT Director Jerry Wray said $50 million in federal funds committed this year to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority and transit agencies statewide would be sliced by $10 million. That means the loss of $2.2 million that RTA had counted on to launch new services in the spring, General Manager Joe Calabrese said ... ... More at http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/02/rta_will_put_new_services_on_h.html

Yeah, their Facebook posts seem to indicate that they're open to a lot of places but currently concentrating on Tremont, Ohio City and Detroit Shoreway ... And the most recent post on the matter indicated they had seen a sweet spot on West 25th.

As for marketing, I definitely think a modest guerilla marketing campaign would definitely be a start. I mean, look at Collinwood's well-placed advertising in a handful of national arts publications and the amount of interest that's generated. I anticipate there will be some more discussion of this concept pretty soon.

^ You might be thinking of the Social Impact of the Arts Project (http://www.sp2.upenn.edu/SIAP/). Very cool stuff from Ms. Seifert and Dr. Stern ... Check out "Cultivating 'Natural' Cultural Districts" for some interesting research on Philly neighborhoods around this topic. The Urban Institute's Maria-Rosario Jackson and Ann Markusen at the Project on Regional and Industrial Economics at the University of Minnesota are also considered leaders in this area of study. And (shaaaaameless plug), Cleveland also launched From Rust Belt to Artist Belt, a conference that is exploring the role artists can play in revitalizing industrial cities. In its first two years in Cleveland, 200 artists, community development professionals, etc. from 59 cities in 13 states have attended. The second conference was set right in the middle of the Gordon Square street improvement (like zig-zagging across hot tar and wet concrete :)). The third conference will be taking place this April in Detroit's Midtown / Creative Culture Corridor.

NYC Artists Migrating to the Cleve by Laurie Apple, Animal New York December 1, 2010 With NYC becoming more expensive all the time, artists are fleeing to places like Cleveland, Ohio–where you can buy a two-bedroom house for almost as much as a single pack of cigarettes costs here. And with everyone in Cleveland migrating elsewhere, that leaves lots of extra room for folks from W-Burg. While moving to Ohio be a full-fledged trend yet, enough artists are doing it to inspire local-media trend pieces ... ... More at http://animalnewyork.com/2010/12/nyc-artists-migrating-to-the-cleve/ Some fun quotes in the Comments section ... "In fact, I've seen more indie hipster types in the Cleveland area than I have in Williamsburg (and I spend a lot of time mulling around Bedford Ave.). While the constant overkill of bright lights and screeching taxis provides an artist of NYC with an uncountable number of outlets for their work, Cleveland provides community and an art influenced by the solidarity of place; the artists of Cuyahoga County are Cleveland proud. As a city that has not yet acquired the supposed esteemed 'sixth borough' title, Cleveland works off of what it has to offer; without all of the distraction and bling a big, big city gushes, Cleveland artists can concentrate solely on their work." - Rebecca "As I have recently moved back to Cleve from SoCal, I can tell you - Disneyland sucks." - Matt "That said, I'd consider moving to Cleveland just for the f*cking Christmas Ale." - JAA "I recently moved to New York after having lived in Cleveland for the past year, Columbus for 4 years before that, and Cleveland before that. I'm of a firm belief that artists sort of have the power to invigorate a city. It's like that whole gentrification thing, you know? Definitely has its good and bad points, but in general, I think its positive. No, Cleveland does not have a lot going for it...but what it does have is POTENTIAL." - NYCviaCLE "Those of us who live here barely pay attention to the lists anymore. Come visit, we'll show you a good time and no misery will be on the agenda." - Carole Cohen

A Diaspora of Artists by Michael Fallon Utne Reader January 25, 2011 In ordinary times, in the ordinary places of North America, emerging artists come and go like the passing seasons. If you’re a talented young video artist, say, living in Dubuque and gaining regional attention, or if you’re an edgy photographer who has won a big grant award in Baltimore, what you do, nine times out of ten, is move away. You take your potentially fleeting cultural capital and attempt to parlay it into a big-time career by going to the Big City. For most, this means escaping to New York, but it can also mean (if your art is more media-driven) going to L.A. or, if you're more intrepid and enterprising, Berlin or London. For years, the story of most smaller-market art communities—such as Minneapolis, Vancouver, Seattle (on and off), Detroit, Kansas City, Cleveland, Portland, etc.—has often been more about who has left the scene than who remains behind ... ... So, with artists suffering in the two largest American cultural Meccas, where is a struggling artist to go? Where can artists find arms welcoming enough to provide a chance to sustain their careers? Well, as it happens, perhaps sensing an opportunity in the leveled fields of the current economy several of America’s bleakest, and most economically depressed, cities—Detroit, Baltimore, and Cleveland, among others—have begun making their case to become the next American artistic epicenter. All of these places have begun offering incentives like housing allowances (or otherwise cheap housing options), grants and other competitive awards, and other support to artists, even as they promise at least some of the cultural amenities—museums, arts events, and the like—that one can find in the Big Cities ... ... More at http://www.utne.com/arts/a-diaspora-of-artists.aspx#ixzz1DNUNEcgq

Jersey City? Blech :) That's actually a really nice write-up, though. We're getting a lot of good press on this topic of late.