Wrap the Arts

Grassroots strategies to reclaim distressed neighborhoods are taking hold in cities around the country,including Cleveland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Youngstown. Fighting to reclaim neighborhoods blighted by blocks of decaying and neglected vacant homes, and abandoned parking lots is a very difficult task.

More than 1.2 million residential properties went into foreclosure in 2008 alone. the National Vacant Properties Campaign estimates that the number of chronically vacant properties is in the millions.

Art Youngstown is taking a creative approach to dealing with blight in one Youngstown neighborhood. Supported in part by the Wean Foundation's Neighborhood Success Grant Program, the organization has developed a plan to transform one large unsightly green space along Wick Avenue on the city's north side into a work of art.

The property is not suitable for development, green or otherwise. It currently consists of a large blacktopped parking lot that is surrounded by a ragged looking chain link fence. Art Youngstown has named the plan Wrap the Arts.. The plan is comprised of wrapping over forty large weather resistant canvases around the property. The works of art have been created by local artists, community residents and organizations. The large installation of art will be put on display on October 24for the entire community to enjoy. For directions to the site go here.

The following is a list of artists who have contributed to the project:
Aaron Andrews
Marcy Roepke-Applegate
Danna Bozik
Al Bright
Lynn Cardwell
Kathy Crowe
Robert Dubec
Willie Duck
Terry Esarco
Terry Fetchet
Kristy Hoard
Susan Jacobs
The Jewish Community Center
Robert Kidney
Angelo LaMarco
Henry Lepore
Aaron Martin
Ron Mistovich
Tony Nicholas
Park Vista
Antonia Pilloli
Carol Raestadt
William Reents
Sharon Rich
Lynne Rosati
Cynthia Sahli
Robert Savage
Elaine and Joy Serednesky
Joshua Shank- Metro Church
Fred Shepherd
Marleen Simon
Judith Szabo
Jeff Terlecki
Sarah Terlecki
Anita Weinstock
Clara Wick
Chris Yambar
YSU SMARTS
Staff

Prior to the installation, Art Youngstown is hosting an event to meet and greet the artists at the beautiful Youngstown Metro Church located on the corner of Wick and McGuffy near the art installation. The public is invited to attend on Saturday October 10, 2009 from 7:00 to 10:00 PM. For more information please visit Art Youngstown. Hope to see you there.

Art Youngstown November 28th 2008

Join Art Youngstown on November 28, 2008 at the newly renovated Davis Building Downtown for a evening of music, stories, and art by the brothers Robert and Jack Kidney. If you have not yet heard the legendary Numbers 15, 60 75 Band, it is high time you did.$5.00 at the door. Doors open at 6:00 PM. For more information contact Judy Szabo at (330) 746-8846 or Robert Dubec at (330) 398-4565.

The Grey to Green Festival :Youngstown, Ohio

As people all over the world become deeply concerned about the future of the Earth’s environment, millions are turning their energies toward education and citizen activism. No less so in Youngstown Ohio. Youngstown is launching its first Grey to Green festival on Saturday September 13, 2008 in Wick Park on Youngstown’s North Side.

The goal of the Grey to Green festival is to increase awareness of environmental issues in general, the grey to green concept in the Youngstown 2010 Plan, and the Wick Park Revitalization effort that is currently underway.

On September 13, Wick Park will be transformed into a “green world” that will include environmentally oriented businesses, community organizations, and local and regional agencies. Throughout the park, there will be workshops, displays, demonstrations, entertainment, food, and “green” merchandise vendors. The Festival itself will be put together with an emphasis on sustainable practices – minimal energy and resource consumption, maximum recycling and waste reduction.

The grey to green concept figures prominently in Youngstown’s 2010 Plan. For a while, Youngstown, with its population at just over 80,000 hoped to return to its boomtown roots when it was home to 165,000 citizens and a powerful steel industry. But with the new 2010 Plan, the city is one of the first to embrace shrinkage and the development of green space. Youngstown serves as a model for other rust-belt cities that must recreate and reinvent themselves after years of decline.

The city in a radical move began bulldozing abandoned buildings, tearing up blighted streets and converting entire blocks into open green spaces several years ago. With help from community groups dedicated to reforestation and urban gardening, the abandoned neighborhoods are being returned to a more-natural state, ultimately permitting the city to cut services to less-populated areas and instead concentrate on development where people want to move. Anthony Kobak, Youngstown’s Chief City Planner, says that the goals of the 2010 plan are “to create a safe, clean, enjoyable, sustainable, attractive city.”

In keeping with these goals, CityScape and Defend Youngstown, along with a steering committee consisting of elected officials, city staff, and representatives from various local organizations began an initiative to improve the large and strategically located Wick Park. They brought in the Urban Design Center of Northeast Ohio to provide advice and support to the design process. In a city that is known for its high level of community involvement, the Wick Park design process provides a unique opportunity for the community to re-imagine a public space that supports the city’s goal of becoming a smaller, greener city.

The Grey to Green Festival organizing coalition came together with the shared belief and a shared vision that the collaboration of citizens, agencies, organizations and government can mobilize communities to address important issues and solve problems in new ways by moving from problem-driven solutions to vision-driven solutions.

The organizing coalition includes the Green Team, Youngstown Litter control, Defend Youngstown, CityScape, ReCreate,Treez Please, Grow Youngstown, First Book Mahoning Valley, The Oakland Center for the Arts, Green Energy TV, Art Youngstown, The Wick Park Revitalization Committee, The City of Youngstown’s Planning Department, Youngstown State University’s Environmental Studies Society, faculty and staff from YSU, as well as concerned citizens, block watches and youth groups.

To participate as either a sponsor of the event or as an exhibitor or vendor please contact Debra Weaver (330) 744-1748 or e-mail her at debraweaver2000@hotmail.com.

Mark your calendars now because this event is not one to be missed! Also, please help us spread the word about the event.

"The Cure for Boredom is Curiosity" Dorothy Parker

I have sometimes heard people in the Youngstown area complain about the lack of things to do. I've even heard people say they are bored. Well, as Dorothy Parker said, "The cure for boredom is curiosity..." Obviously, the bored folks around here merely need a good dose of it. I recommend they begin by reading the local blogs where they will undoubtedly find any number of events and happenings to peak their curiosity.(see sidebar for links). I then recommend they have an adventure. "But where?" you say.
"Downtown Youngstown," of course.

I,for one, have nary a moment to spare because there is so much to do. I won't begin to tell you about my hectic schedule for the week coming up. However, let me offer a suggestion or two for an adventure in Youngstown next Friday night, March 14th. Let's start the evening at 5:00 PM:

First Stop: The Core - Located at 35 Federal Plaza West, Youngstown, OH Ryan is the best martini shaker I know of; I recommend a martini called "the Core", or if you really want to be adventurous tell him what you're hankering for in terms of flavor and he'll give you a personal martini drink.
Second Stop: Dinner at the Rosetta Stone
Third Stop:
Art Youngstown Exhibition - You don't want to miss it this time. As you can see from the photo of the last exhibition everyone was there:
Exhibition in the Great Room
Friday, March 14, 2008
7:00 pm to 10:30 pm
Great Room at 25 E. Boardman Street, Downtown Youngstown
Courtesy of Ohio One Corporation
The public is invited free of charge and refreshments will be served.
Street parking is available. The gallery exhibition will be open
from 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm from March 17 thru 20, 2008.
Please email joy@artyoungstown.org or call 330-788-5678 for further details.
Fourth Stop: The Oakland Theater: You absolutely must make it to the theater Friday or Saturday night to see Dog Sees God :Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead It should not to be missed! The show runs March 14,15,20,21,22,28 and 29 at 8:00 PM. This is an "unauthorized parody" that features the Peanuts gang - all grown up! Written by Bert V. Royal, this dark comedy takes place ten years after the events in the fifty- year-running comic strip. The Oakland is located at 220 West Boardman Street, in downtown Youngstown. Reservations can be made by calling (330)746-0404.
Fifth Stop: Top the night off rockin' out at the Cedars Lounge The Region's Home for Independent Music since 1981. Located on Hazel Street in downtown Youngstown.
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW OF OUR LOCAL STARS FROM DOG SEES GOD!