Detroit Shoreway
Spice of Life, the umbrella group that includes a restaurant, catering company, and farm-to-table garden plots, is installing new raised beds and a high tunnel hoop house behind its restaurant and offices at W. 58th and Detroit Avenue to satisfy demand for local food in its operations.
"I like the idea of people being seated on the patio and seeing chefs pick herbs, go back to the kitchen and make things out of them," says chef and owner Ben Bebenroth, who also has 10,000 square feet of gardens behind his home. Additional food is sourced on a weekly basis from 30 to 60 Northeast Ohio farms. The food is used at Spice Kitchen + Bar as well as for catering jobs. "My focus now is on transforming ornamentals into edible ornamentals."
Bebenroth, who says that he's always thinking about "what's in season," is building the hoop house to extend his growing season to nearly 10 months out of the year. He is now growing quick crops such as lettuces that he can replant every 45 days.
"I think it's really important to have a hoop house for the neighborhood and the neighborhood kids to see," he says. "It's a shining example of what's possible."
Bebenroth's main motivation for expanding his gardens is that regional farms often have trouble keeping up with Spice of Life's demands for top quality, locally grown foods. By hiring a farm manager and sourcing as much food from his own farms as possible, Bebenroth is better able to keep up with growing demand.
Source: Ben Bebenroth
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"I like the idea of people being seated on the patio and seeing chefs pick herbs, go back to the kitchen and make things out of them," says chef and owner Ben Bebenroth, who also has 10,000 square feet of gardens behind his home. Additional food is sourced on a weekly basis from 30 to 60 Northeast Ohio farms. The food is used at Spice Kitchen + Bar as well as for catering jobs. "My focus now is on transforming ornamentals into edible ornamentals."
Bebenroth, who says that he's always thinking about "what's in season," is building the hoop house to extend his growing season to nearly 10 months out of the year. He is now growing quick crops such as lettuces that he can replant every 45 days.
"I think it's really important to have a hoop house for the neighborhood and the neighborhood kids to see," he says. "It's a shining example of what's possible."
Bebenroth's main motivation for expanding his gardens is that regional farms often have trouble keeping up with Spice of Life's demands for top quality, locally grown foods. By hiring a farm manager and sourcing as much food from his own farms as possible, Bebenroth is better able to keep up with growing demand.
Source: Ben Bebenroth
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The term "Rust Belt Chic" has been bandied about in urban journalism circles for over a decade. But lately, the connotation and import of that catchy phrase seem to be taking on a welcome new identity. A book in progress from Cleveland-based writers aims to take ownership of the phrase and help define what it truly means to live in a recovering Rust Belt city.
Megan Meister chuckles as she thinks of the unlikely collision of worlds involved in planting four eat-everything-in-sight goats in the midst of Stockyards -- a neighborhood that long ago shed its past as the home of the city's slaughterhouses.
Yet to Meister, the ebullient director of the Stockyards, Clark Fulton and Brooklyn Centre Community Development Organization, the area's new "Mow Goats" program is about the re-greening of the neighborhood, teaching kids and families about urban agriculture, and possibly even saving the city some money.
"Kids in urban areas don't get the opportunity to be around farm animals very often," says Meister, who worked with residents, The County Line Farm in Geneva, Ohio and the City of Cleveland to pioneer the 25-day program. "This is a creative way to address the problem of vacant lots in our neighborhood."
The "ladies," as they're known at the office, have a regular 9-to-5 job mowing a lot at W. 61st and Frontier Avenue. When they're done with that -- soon, based on their seemingly unstoppable appetite for anything leafy and green -- they'll be rotated to another lot. Meister hired a full-time goat herder for the project.
The Stockyards office receives a slew of calls every season about mowing lots. The City of Cleveland mows lots a few times per year and attempts to collect from property owners, but lacks the resources to mow them more regularly.
Meister hopes the project can be replicated elsewhere. She estimates that it would cost about $9,000 to $10,000 per six-month season to rent four goats, which is actually cheaper than what the city typically charges property owners to mow lots. The excess goat poop is being used to fertilize neighborhood gardens.
Source: Megan Meister
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Yet to Meister, the ebullient director of the Stockyards, Clark Fulton and Brooklyn Centre Community Development Organization, the area's new "Mow Goats" program is about the re-greening of the neighborhood, teaching kids and families about urban agriculture, and possibly even saving the city some money.
"Kids in urban areas don't get the opportunity to be around farm animals very often," says Meister, who worked with residents, The County Line Farm in Geneva, Ohio and the City of Cleveland to pioneer the 25-day program. "This is a creative way to address the problem of vacant lots in our neighborhood."
The "ladies," as they're known at the office, have a regular 9-to-5 job mowing a lot at W. 61st and Frontier Avenue. When they're done with that -- soon, based on their seemingly unstoppable appetite for anything leafy and green -- they'll be rotated to another lot. Meister hired a full-time goat herder for the project.
The Stockyards office receives a slew of calls every season about mowing lots. The City of Cleveland mows lots a few times per year and attempts to collect from property owners, but lacks the resources to mow them more regularly.
Meister hopes the project can be replicated elsewhere. She estimates that it would cost about $9,000 to $10,000 per six-month season to rent four goats, which is actually cheaper than what the city typically charges property owners to mow lots. The excess goat poop is being used to fertilize neighborhood gardens.
Source: Megan Meister
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Communities in Cuyahoga County are recycling about 50 percent of their waste on average, Diane Bickett, Executive Director of the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District, told the audience at the recent Cleveland Composting and Recycling Forum.
Austin, Texas has an ambitious goal of reaching zero waste by 2040, which means reducing the amount of trash sent to landfills by 90 percent.
The question now becomes: How does our region advance those goals while encouraging communities with dismal levels of recycling to raise the bar? That was the question that Bickett posed to the crowd during the one-day examination of recycling and composting in our region.
The City of Cleveland has one of the lowest levels of recycling in Cuyahoga County at about seven percent. Cleveland Heights and Lakewood hover around 60 percent, and Pepper Pike is over 70 percent. Bickett said that Cleveland and other cities could improve recycling rates by focusing on new, automated technologies, expanding organic collection, adding more recycling in public spaces, making citywide policy changes, and better educating residents and businesses.
Beyond the sustainability benefits, recycling also creates jobs. "For every job in the disposal industry, 17 are created in the recycling industry," Bickett said.
Given the prowess of the local food and urban agriculture movements in Cleveland, Bickett cited an opportunity to create composting facilities run by volunteers and community organizations that generate nutrient-rich soil.
Councilman Brian Cummins criticized the city's one-size-fits-all disposal fee and unambitious recycling goals (the city aims to recycle up to 25 percent of its waste by building a waste-to-energy facility and rolling out curbside recycling citywide).
Cummins also promoted the idea that recycling could generate local jobs, although he and Bickett acknowledged that recycling programs actually cost cities money.
City of Cleveland representatives were invited to attend the forum but declined.
Source: Diane Bickett, Brian Cummins
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Austin, Texas has an ambitious goal of reaching zero waste by 2040, which means reducing the amount of trash sent to landfills by 90 percent.
The question now becomes: How does our region advance those goals while encouraging communities with dismal levels of recycling to raise the bar? That was the question that Bickett posed to the crowd during the one-day examination of recycling and composting in our region.
The City of Cleveland has one of the lowest levels of recycling in Cuyahoga County at about seven percent. Cleveland Heights and Lakewood hover around 60 percent, and Pepper Pike is over 70 percent. Bickett said that Cleveland and other cities could improve recycling rates by focusing on new, automated technologies, expanding organic collection, adding more recycling in public spaces, making citywide policy changes, and better educating residents and businesses.
Beyond the sustainability benefits, recycling also creates jobs. "For every job in the disposal industry, 17 are created in the recycling industry," Bickett said.
Given the prowess of the local food and urban agriculture movements in Cleveland, Bickett cited an opportunity to create composting facilities run by volunteers and community organizations that generate nutrient-rich soil.
Councilman Brian Cummins criticized the city's one-size-fits-all disposal fee and unambitious recycling goals (the city aims to recycle up to 25 percent of its waste by building a waste-to-energy facility and rolling out curbside recycling citywide).
Cummins also promoted the idea that recycling could generate local jobs, although he and Bickett acknowledged that recycling programs actually cost cities money.
City of Cleveland representatives were invited to attend the forum but declined.
Source: Diane Bickett, Brian Cummins
Writer: Lee Chilcote
cleveland among zagat's listing of hottest food truck towns
Zagat asked its readers to weigh in on the best cities to enjoy food truck fare. Cleveland was one of only 10 cities in the running.
Cleveland, OH
"Fairly recently, the City of Cleveland decided to renew a law that allowed food trucks to roam the city that 'rocks.' However, they can only operate with permission from their councilperson. A few dozen trucks and growing, residents have options like Streat Mobile Bistro (healthy, local, organic) and fig “burger” dealer Hodge Podge. Also, there's Umami Moto which serves Asian-fusion food -- inspired by LA’s Kogi Truck perhaps?"
Check out all the city scenes here.
Cleveland, OH
"Fairly recently, the City of Cleveland decided to renew a law that allowed food trucks to roam the city that 'rocks.' However, they can only operate with permission from their councilperson. A few dozen trucks and growing, residents have options like Streat Mobile Bistro (healthy, local, organic) and fig “burger” dealer Hodge Podge. Also, there's Umami Moto which serves Asian-fusion food -- inspired by LA’s Kogi Truck perhaps?"
Check out all the city scenes here.
When the Broadway Farmers Market in Slavic Village piloted a new program to offer a dollar-for-dollar match to Ohio Direction Card customers who purchase produce, it experienced a 191-percent increase in Direction Card sales in one year.
By offering incentives, the Produce Perks program helps to ensure that fresh, locally grown produce gets into low-income households where it's needed most. Many city residents do not have a grocery store with fresh produce within walking distance of their home. The program offers a dollar-for-dollar match up to $10.
This summer, the Produce Perks program is being expanded to 17 local farmers markets throughout Cuyahoga County. The program has been successful at helping lower-income residents to overcome obstacles that inhibit them from shopping at farmers markets and boosting their produce purchasing power, organizers say.
"We know that there are more people using local food assistance programs due to the economy, so how do we get them to local farmers markets?" says Erika Meschkat, Program Coordinator with the Ohio State University Extension. "This is about improving public health, boosting local food production and creating economic development opportunities at neighborhood farmers markets."
Meschkat says that the Produce Perks program helps farmers markets to profit from an untapped market. While many suburban market managers are shocked to realize that they have customers on food assistance, too, it benefits them as well.
The program is part of a regional push to address healthy food gaps by helping low-income residents to take advantage of farmers markets. Produce Perks is coordinated by the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition with the support of several area foundations and Wholesome Wave, a national nonprofit organization focused on access to healthy, affordable foods in poor communities.
Source: Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition
Writer: Lee Chilcote
By offering incentives, the Produce Perks program helps to ensure that fresh, locally grown produce gets into low-income households where it's needed most. Many city residents do not have a grocery store with fresh produce within walking distance of their home. The program offers a dollar-for-dollar match up to $10.
This summer, the Produce Perks program is being expanded to 17 local farmers markets throughout Cuyahoga County. The program has been successful at helping lower-income residents to overcome obstacles that inhibit them from shopping at farmers markets and boosting their produce purchasing power, organizers say.
"We know that there are more people using local food assistance programs due to the economy, so how do we get them to local farmers markets?" says Erika Meschkat, Program Coordinator with the Ohio State University Extension. "This is about improving public health, boosting local food production and creating economic development opportunities at neighborhood farmers markets."
Meschkat says that the Produce Perks program helps farmers markets to profit from an untapped market. While many suburban market managers are shocked to realize that they have customers on food assistance, too, it benefits them as well.
The program is part of a regional push to address healthy food gaps by helping low-income residents to take advantage of farmers markets. Produce Perks is coordinated by the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition with the support of several area foundations and Wholesome Wave, a national nonprofit organization focused on access to healthy, affordable foods in poor communities.
Source: Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition
Writer: Lee Chilcote
In April, 51 volunteers picked up more than 500 pounds of trash at Edgewater Park as part of an effort to revitalize our city's beaches and reconnect Clevelanders to our lakefront parks.
Among the items that were collected at Edgewater that day were more than 3,000 cigar tips that had washed up in Edgewater cove.
Cleveland has the dubious distinction of being a leader in cigar tip pollution in the Great Lakes region, says Erin Huber of Drink Local Drink Tap. Currently, Huber has the cigar tips soaking in soapy water in her basement. She plans to complete an art project with them in order to raise awareness about pollution in Lake Erie.
Huber says that the beach cleanups help to improve the city's neglected system of lakefront parks. "It makes me absolutely furious, because the state park staff are basically glorified garbage people who hardly even have time to replace broken light bulbs," she says. "The state parks don't have any money, but all of the volunteer hours we log can be used to apply for funding for the park."
Although Huber believes that the long-term solution for the lakefront parks is for the City of Cleveland to hire the Metroparks to more effectively manage them, she is encouraged by the diverse array of beach lovers that have pitched in to help so far. These events help to build an active constituency for the parks, she says.
The Friends of Edgewater Park, the nonprofit group that partners with Drink Local Drink Tap on the cleanups, is focusing its efforts on supporting Ohio Department of Natural Resources staff through a range of activities.
The next "Pancakes and Trash" beach cleanup, which is cosponsored by Friends of Edgewater Park, the Ohio Sierra Club, Cleveland Lakefront State Parks and 106.5 The Lake, takes place on Saturday, June 2nd from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Ohio Sierra Club is hosting a free pancake breakfast that begins at 9 a.m.
Source: Erin Huber
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Among the items that were collected at Edgewater that day were more than 3,000 cigar tips that had washed up in Edgewater cove.
Cleveland has the dubious distinction of being a leader in cigar tip pollution in the Great Lakes region, says Erin Huber of Drink Local Drink Tap. Currently, Huber has the cigar tips soaking in soapy water in her basement. She plans to complete an art project with them in order to raise awareness about pollution in Lake Erie.
Huber says that the beach cleanups help to improve the city's neglected system of lakefront parks. "It makes me absolutely furious, because the state park staff are basically glorified garbage people who hardly even have time to replace broken light bulbs," she says. "The state parks don't have any money, but all of the volunteer hours we log can be used to apply for funding for the park."
Although Huber believes that the long-term solution for the lakefront parks is for the City of Cleveland to hire the Metroparks to more effectively manage them, she is encouraged by the diverse array of beach lovers that have pitched in to help so far. These events help to build an active constituency for the parks, she says.
The Friends of Edgewater Park, the nonprofit group that partners with Drink Local Drink Tap on the cleanups, is focusing its efforts on supporting Ohio Department of Natural Resources staff through a range of activities.
The next "Pancakes and Trash" beach cleanup, which is cosponsored by Friends of Edgewater Park, the Ohio Sierra Club, Cleveland Lakefront State Parks and 106.5 The Lake, takes place on Saturday, June 2nd from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Ohio Sierra Club is hosting a free pancake breakfast that begins at 9 a.m.
Source: Erin Huber
Writer: Lee Chilcote
salon points to gordon square as model of arts-district development
In a feature titled "Urban entertainment districts: Blocks where no one has fun," Salon writer Will Doig describes the modern “urban lifestyle destination” as a "swath of cityscape whose character has been preordained by a city council vote and is now identified by brightly colored banners affixed to lampposts."
“The problem with these created-overnight districts is that you’re trying to create a culture as opposed to letting one grow,” Nathaniel Hood, a Minneapolis-based transportation planner, is quoted in the piece. “You’re getting the culture that one developer or city council member thinks the city needs, as opposed to the ground-up culture that comes from multiple players.”
Cleveland's Gordon Square Arts District is mentioned as an example of a neighborhood that got it right.
"[Milwaukee's] Water Street is an example of how, when the city declines to step in, citizens will. In a less cacophonous way, Cleveland has done this with its Gordon Square Arts District, where a group of nonprofits got together and created their own urban district where theaters already existed.
“You had three very humble nonprofit organizations, no powerful boards, that just needed capital improvements,” says Gordon Square's executive director Joy Roller.
Read the rest of the good news here.
“The problem with these created-overnight districts is that you’re trying to create a culture as opposed to letting one grow,” Nathaniel Hood, a Minneapolis-based transportation planner, is quoted in the piece. “You’re getting the culture that one developer or city council member thinks the city needs, as opposed to the ground-up culture that comes from multiple players.”
Cleveland's Gordon Square Arts District is mentioned as an example of a neighborhood that got it right.
"[Milwaukee's] Water Street is an example of how, when the city declines to step in, citizens will. In a less cacophonous way, Cleveland has done this with its Gordon Square Arts District, where a group of nonprofits got together and created their own urban district where theaters already existed.
“You had three very humble nonprofit organizations, no powerful boards, that just needed capital improvements,” says Gordon Square's executive director Joy Roller.
Read the rest of the good news here.
As Yelp Cleveland community manager, native Northeast Ohioan Cara Lageson is a pro-Cleveland powerhouse. When she's not busy penning reviews -- she has logged in about 400 -- she connects "Yelpers" and local businesses by coordinating marketing outreach that extends well beyond the digital realm.
Last fall, when the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency held a hearing on the City of Cleveland's proposed waste-to-energy plant, hundreds of protesters turned out to decry the plans.
The gasification plant, which would turn trash into energy to be used by Cleveland Public Power, would result in unacceptable levels of pollution in urban neighborhoods, environmental groups said.
Since then, the city has terminated its agreement with its controversial consultant, Peter Tien. However, CPP says that it is still studying the waste-to-energy plant as well as other options to increase recycling, reduce costs and generate electricity.
To capitalize on the renewed interest in recycling and composting generated by the public meetings earlier this year, environmental groups are now pressing the city to develop a more comprehensive plan. Ohio Citizen Action, Earthday Coalition and other groups have organized the Cleveland Composting and Recycling Forum on Saturday, June 2nd at the downtown YMCA.
“Clevelanders have said loud and clear that they want stronger recycling programs,” commented Chris Trepal, Executive Director of Earth Day Coalition, in a news release. “The urban gardening and local food community in Cleveland creates hundreds of opportunities for the productive use of compost.”
"We're hoping to bring in good ideas from other cities," adds Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director of Ohio Citizen Action, who says that the local and national speakers attending the event will provide a litany of successful models.
The public forum takes place at a crucial time, as the city is gearing up to roll out its recycling program to additional neighborhoods over the course of the summer.
Brian Cummins, a Cleveland Councilman who represents the Brooklyn Centre, Clark-Fulton and Stockyards neighborhoods adjacent to the proposed gasification plant, says that the city's recycling program needs improvement.
"The city claims this is a comprehensive system, but they haven't been able to roll it out citywide due to budget problems," he says. "We need to look at incentives to recycle, such as 'pay as you throw' fees that other cities are now using."
The City of Cleveland has stated that its goal in the next few years is to roll out its recycling program to all neighborhoods. No composting program currently exists.
Source: Chris Trepal, Brian Cummins
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The gasification plant, which would turn trash into energy to be used by Cleveland Public Power, would result in unacceptable levels of pollution in urban neighborhoods, environmental groups said.
Since then, the city has terminated its agreement with its controversial consultant, Peter Tien. However, CPP says that it is still studying the waste-to-energy plant as well as other options to increase recycling, reduce costs and generate electricity.
To capitalize on the renewed interest in recycling and composting generated by the public meetings earlier this year, environmental groups are now pressing the city to develop a more comprehensive plan. Ohio Citizen Action, Earthday Coalition and other groups have organized the Cleveland Composting and Recycling Forum on Saturday, June 2nd at the downtown YMCA.
“Clevelanders have said loud and clear that they want stronger recycling programs,” commented Chris Trepal, Executive Director of Earth Day Coalition, in a news release. “The urban gardening and local food community in Cleveland creates hundreds of opportunities for the productive use of compost.”
"We're hoping to bring in good ideas from other cities," adds Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director of Ohio Citizen Action, who says that the local and national speakers attending the event will provide a litany of successful models.
The public forum takes place at a crucial time, as the city is gearing up to roll out its recycling program to additional neighborhoods over the course of the summer.
Brian Cummins, a Cleveland Councilman who represents the Brooklyn Centre, Clark-Fulton and Stockyards neighborhoods adjacent to the proposed gasification plant, says that the city's recycling program needs improvement.
"The city claims this is a comprehensive system, but they haven't been able to roll it out citywide due to budget problems," he says. "We need to look at incentives to recycle, such as 'pay as you throw' fees that other cities are now using."
The City of Cleveland has stated that its goal in the next few years is to roll out its recycling program to all neighborhoods. No composting program currently exists.
Source: Chris Trepal, Brian Cummins
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Thanks to game-changing, large-scale architectural efforts largely absent during the recession, Cleveland steadily is catching up to other similarly sized cities in terms of design. Long known as a "brick city," Cleveland's recent and forthcoming high-profile projects are adding progressive new materials to the mix.
This month Cleveland welcomes Great Lakes Courier, a high-energy free monthly paper that caters to Northeast Ohio's enthusiastic cycling community. "One of the things we hope to provide is a place for different groups of cyclists to tell stories and interact," says editor Michael Gill.
cuyahoga arts & culture accepting grant apps, hosting workshops
Cuyahoga Arts & Culture is accepting applications for its 2013 grant programs. Nonprofit organizations offering arts and culture programming in Cuyahoga County are encouraged to apply.
To learn more about its Project Support grant program, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture encourages applicants to attend one of three informational workshops, to be held June 5, 7, or 13.
“In 2012, CAC is investing $15 million in 154 organizations throughout Cuyahoga County, and we welcome organizations offering arts and culture programs to apply now for CAC grants in 2013,” explains Executive Director Karen Gahl-Mills. “Our county is fortunate to have this source of public funding for arts and culture, which strengthens our community by making it a better place to live, work, and play.”
At each workshop, CAC staff will review its grant programs, eligibility requirements, and CAC’s application process. The same content will be reviewed at each workshop. Workshops are optional, but are a valuable learning opportunity for new applicants to the Project Support program. Attendees are encouraged to register online.
Click here for more information.
To learn more about its Project Support grant program, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture encourages applicants to attend one of three informational workshops, to be held June 5, 7, or 13.
“In 2012, CAC is investing $15 million in 154 organizations throughout Cuyahoga County, and we welcome organizations offering arts and culture programs to apply now for CAC grants in 2013,” explains Executive Director Karen Gahl-Mills. “Our county is fortunate to have this source of public funding for arts and culture, which strengthens our community by making it a better place to live, work, and play.”
At each workshop, CAC staff will review its grant programs, eligibility requirements, and CAC’s application process. The same content will be reviewed at each workshop. Workshops are optional, but are a valuable learning opportunity for new applicants to the Project Support program. Attendees are encouraged to register online.
Click here for more information.
cuyahoga arts and culture helps connect art and community
Free classical concerts held in churches throughout the city, a science, math, technology and engineering (STEM) high school at Great Lakes Science Center, and a partnership between Inlet Dance Company and the Music Settlement are just a few of the unique projects funded by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.
Since 2006, this countywide entity has invested over $80 million in nearly 200 organizations. Recently, CAC released new data showing that for every $1 that it has invested in arts and culture organizations, about $19 makes its way back into the regional economy.
CAC-funded organizations also serve over one million schoolchildren per year and more than 6.4 million visitors to the region. Moreover, about 55 percent of the groups that receive CAC funding require no admission charge at all.
One of the biggest developments in Cleveland's arts and culture scene, however, is the innovative ways in which nonprofit arts organizations are connecting with local communities. Karen Gahl-Mills, the organization's Executive Director, says that one of CAC's biggest areas of growth is in small project support.
"We see arts activity happening in unusual places," she says. "The projects aren't necessarily new, but people know who we are now. We're doing outreach to communities where people were not applying for grants before."
Gahl-Mills also says that Cuyahoga County's robust system of public arts funding, which stems from a countywide cigarette tax passed in 2006, is the envy of many other cities. "A lot of cities look at Cleveland and say, 'They did it, why can't we?'"
In the end, CAC will only be successful if it achieves its mission of maximizing community benefit. "Our goal is to make the community better by investing in arts and culture, so we're reaching into the community in different ways."
Source: Karen Gahl-Mills
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Since 2006, this countywide entity has invested over $80 million in nearly 200 organizations. Recently, CAC released new data showing that for every $1 that it has invested in arts and culture organizations, about $19 makes its way back into the regional economy.
CAC-funded organizations also serve over one million schoolchildren per year and more than 6.4 million visitors to the region. Moreover, about 55 percent of the groups that receive CAC funding require no admission charge at all.
One of the biggest developments in Cleveland's arts and culture scene, however, is the innovative ways in which nonprofit arts organizations are connecting with local communities. Karen Gahl-Mills, the organization's Executive Director, says that one of CAC's biggest areas of growth is in small project support.
"We see arts activity happening in unusual places," she says. "The projects aren't necessarily new, but people know who we are now. We're doing outreach to communities where people were not applying for grants before."
Gahl-Mills also says that Cuyahoga County's robust system of public arts funding, which stems from a countywide cigarette tax passed in 2006, is the envy of many other cities. "A lot of cities look at Cleveland and say, 'They did it, why can't we?'"
In the end, CAC will only be successful if it achieves its mission of maximizing community benefit. "Our goal is to make the community better by investing in arts and culture, so we're reaching into the community in different ways."
Source: Karen Gahl-Mills
Writer: Lee Chilcote
flee to the cleve: symon picks hometown faves
Where does chef Michael Symon send out-of-town visitors when they come to town? The New York Post asked and he answered, ticking off a list of 10 can't-miss stops.
#1 West Side Market
“One of the most special places where I bring all my chef friends when they visit," Symon says in the article. “Regardless of whether I bring in chefs from New York or San Francisco or another country, it just blows them away.”.
#2 Great Lakes Brewing Co.
“Microbreweries are very hot right now; this has been there [almost] 30 years and is arguably one of the best."
#3 Velvet Tango Room
“It was so ahead of its time,” he says. “It’s been open 18 years; they were doing all the cool things long ago."
#4 ABC the Tavern
Symon recommends this bar for its cheap drinks and great burgers.
Also mentioned: Banyan Tree, Beachland Ballroom, Big Al's Diner, Greenhouse Tavern, Happy Dog and Superior Pho.
Read the entire list here:
#1 West Side Market
“One of the most special places where I bring all my chef friends when they visit," Symon says in the article. “Regardless of whether I bring in chefs from New York or San Francisco or another country, it just blows them away.”.
#2 Great Lakes Brewing Co.
“Microbreweries are very hot right now; this has been there [almost] 30 years and is arguably one of the best."
#3 Velvet Tango Room
“It was so ahead of its time,” he says. “It’s been open 18 years; they were doing all the cool things long ago."
#4 ABC the Tavern
Symon recommends this bar for its cheap drinks and great burgers.
Also mentioned: Banyan Tree, Beachland Ballroom, Big Al's Diner, Greenhouse Tavern, Happy Dog and Superior Pho.
Read the entire list here:
Fixing up an older home can be a daunting task. These days, many homeowners don't know a wrench from a pair of pliers, and even if they are handy, both their tools and their skills may be a little bit rusty.
That's where the Home Repair Resource Center (HRRC), a 40-year-old nonprofit organization based in Cleveland Heights, can help. HRRC offers how-to classes for residents throughout Cuyahoga County and a tool-loan program geared to residents of Cleveland Heights.
"We want to empower people to fix their own homes, especially now because there's such a need," says Kathryn Lad, Executive Director of the HRRC. "We teach people how to do it themselves or to hire the right person for the job."
Since the HRRC was founded out of a church in Cleveland Heights, the group has facilitated over $14 million in home improvements. Lad recalls with pride a class geared towards women that spurred a group of friends to build their own garage. The group also offers foreclosure intervention services, financial education and financial assistance programs for low-income homebuyers.
"Everybody is having a tough time right now, and money is tight," says Lad. "People tend to be doing more repairs in reaction to emergencies than remodeling projects. We help people take care of things they have to take care of."
The HRRC has an ongoing series of Tuesday night classes and is also offering a new series entitled "Practical Sustainability: New Thinking for Older Homes."
Source: Kathryn Lad
Writer: Lee Chilcote
That's where the Home Repair Resource Center (HRRC), a 40-year-old nonprofit organization based in Cleveland Heights, can help. HRRC offers how-to classes for residents throughout Cuyahoga County and a tool-loan program geared to residents of Cleveland Heights.
"We want to empower people to fix their own homes, especially now because there's such a need," says Kathryn Lad, Executive Director of the HRRC. "We teach people how to do it themselves or to hire the right person for the job."
Since the HRRC was founded out of a church in Cleveland Heights, the group has facilitated over $14 million in home improvements. Lad recalls with pride a class geared towards women that spurred a group of friends to build their own garage. The group also offers foreclosure intervention services, financial education and financial assistance programs for low-income homebuyers.
"Everybody is having a tough time right now, and money is tight," says Lad. "People tend to be doing more repairs in reaction to emergencies than remodeling projects. We help people take care of things they have to take care of."
The HRRC has an ongoing series of Tuesday night classes and is also offering a new series entitled "Practical Sustainability: New Thinking for Older Homes."
Source: Kathryn Lad
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Weapons of Mass Creation Fest, an annual gathering of Cleveland creative types now in its third year, is returning like a blockbuster summer sequel to the Gordon Square Arts District from June 8 through 10. Organizers expect over 1,000 attendees to register, adding to the weekend excitement already taking place in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood.
The conference, which will feature 20 speakers, 20 designers, and 30 bands on two different stages near W. 54th and Detroit, coincides with Gordon Square Arts District Day, a neighborhood-wide celebration on Saturday, June 9.
"One of my goals was to make Cleveland a destination, to make it a creative powerhouse," says Jeff Finley of Go Media, creator of WMC Fest. "When people think of creative places in the U.S., I want them to think of Cleveland."
WMC Fest is helping to achieve that goal by fostering connections among Cleveland's creative community and bringing in speakers and attendees from outside the region. "Some of the speakers from last year are coming back, and that speaks volumes about the attraction we're building here," Finley says.
This year's WMC Fest will incorporate Saigon Plaza as a kind of headquarters for the event, allowing for even more music and a more compact event experience. Finley hopes to expose attendees to the Gordon Square Arts District, which he says is a prime example of a neighborhood that nurtures creativity.
Tickets to the WMC Fest cost only $60, thanks to company sponsorships and fundraising by Go Media, making it one of the most affordable events in town.
Source: Jeff Finley
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The conference, which will feature 20 speakers, 20 designers, and 30 bands on two different stages near W. 54th and Detroit, coincides with Gordon Square Arts District Day, a neighborhood-wide celebration on Saturday, June 9.
"One of my goals was to make Cleveland a destination, to make it a creative powerhouse," says Jeff Finley of Go Media, creator of WMC Fest. "When people think of creative places in the U.S., I want them to think of Cleveland."
WMC Fest is helping to achieve that goal by fostering connections among Cleveland's creative community and bringing in speakers and attendees from outside the region. "Some of the speakers from last year are coming back, and that speaks volumes about the attraction we're building here," Finley says.
This year's WMC Fest will incorporate Saigon Plaza as a kind of headquarters for the event, allowing for even more music and a more compact event experience. Finley hopes to expose attendees to the Gordon Square Arts District, which he says is a prime example of a neighborhood that nurtures creativity.
Tickets to the WMC Fest cost only $60, thanks to company sponsorships and fundraising by Go Media, making it one of the most affordable events in town.
Source: Jeff Finley
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Mentor native Erin Huber wasn't exactly sure how she would bring together her passion for water conservation and international development when she finished graduate school. She'd grown up in a blue collar family that spent summer weekends camping near lakes, streams and rivers, and those early experiences nourished her love of fresh water.
After completing her master's degree in Environmental Studies at the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University, she decided to create her own nonprofit organization to bring together these passions under a single roof.
Drink Local Drink Tap is a new organization that works to educate Clevelanders about the pollution that is created by drinking plastic bottles of water and the need to conserve fresh water locally and internationally. To educate both youth and adults, Huber creates water-themed art installations and provides free environmental education at schools.
Next month, Huber will fly to Uganda, where she and her team members will bore a 70-meter hole to provide fresh drinking water to hundreds of residents in a small village there. Currently, children must walk over a mile to find a water source near the village, and the water isn't clean or safe. Huber and her team members also are filming a documentary entitled Making Waves from Cleveland to Uganda that will be released at next year's Cleveland International Film Festival.
For Huber, the project is about sharing the water wealth of the Great Lakes -- which hold 20 percent of the world's fresh water -- with areas in dire need.
Huber, who describes her group as a "very nonprofit organization," is still raising funds for the project. You can donate to the cause on the organization's website.
Source: Erin Huber
Writer: Lee Chilcote
After completing her master's degree in Environmental Studies at the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University, she decided to create her own nonprofit organization to bring together these passions under a single roof.
Drink Local Drink Tap is a new organization that works to educate Clevelanders about the pollution that is created by drinking plastic bottles of water and the need to conserve fresh water locally and internationally. To educate both youth and adults, Huber creates water-themed art installations and provides free environmental education at schools.
Next month, Huber will fly to Uganda, where she and her team members will bore a 70-meter hole to provide fresh drinking water to hundreds of residents in a small village there. Currently, children must walk over a mile to find a water source near the village, and the water isn't clean or safe. Huber and her team members also are filming a documentary entitled Making Waves from Cleveland to Uganda that will be released at next year's Cleveland International Film Festival.
For Huber, the project is about sharing the water wealth of the Great Lakes -- which hold 20 percent of the world's fresh water -- with areas in dire need.
Huber, who describes her group as a "very nonprofit organization," is still raising funds for the project. You can donate to the cause on the organization's website.
Source: Erin Huber
Writer: Lee Chilcote
young nonprofit professionals network seeks to mentor next generation leaders
Northeast Ohio has a resourceful nonprofit sector, yet it is in danger of losing some of its youngest, brightest new leaders because of low pay and heavy workloads.
This was the determination of a survey of nonprofit leaders conducted two years ago by the Cleveland chapter of the Young Nonprofit Professional Network (YNPN). The mission of this all-volunteer organization is to "connect and cultivate leaders in the nonprofit community by engaging young professionals, supporting career development, and offering networking opportunities."
To counter this trend, YNPN launched a new mentoring program last year that is geared towards matching young leaders with experienced nonprofit professionals. Last fall, 30 up-and-coming young nonprofit professionals received sound advice and a sounding board from veteran leaders within the industry.
Now, YNPN is gearing up to launch the second round of its mentoring program. It is seeking additional mentors so that it doesn't have to turn any young leaders away. Last year, the group was unable to find mentors for a dozen applicants.
"We need more people to step up to the plate," says Kari Mirkin, President of the YNPN. She notes that mentoring is a challenge at many nonprofits because they lack the resources and knowledge to develop a strong mentoring program. "The requirements are pretty reasonable -- we just ask that mentors meet with mentees for one hour during four of the six months of the program."
The YNPN is hosting an open house for prospective mentors on Wednesday, May 9th from 5:30-7 pm at the offices of the Junior League of Greater Cleveland. The deadline for submitting an application to become a mentor is May 14th.
Source: Kari Mirkin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
This was the determination of a survey of nonprofit leaders conducted two years ago by the Cleveland chapter of the Young Nonprofit Professional Network (YNPN). The mission of this all-volunteer organization is to "connect and cultivate leaders in the nonprofit community by engaging young professionals, supporting career development, and offering networking opportunities."
To counter this trend, YNPN launched a new mentoring program last year that is geared towards matching young leaders with experienced nonprofit professionals. Last fall, 30 up-and-coming young nonprofit professionals received sound advice and a sounding board from veteran leaders within the industry.
Now, YNPN is gearing up to launch the second round of its mentoring program. It is seeking additional mentors so that it doesn't have to turn any young leaders away. Last year, the group was unable to find mentors for a dozen applicants.
"We need more people to step up to the plate," says Kari Mirkin, President of the YNPN. She notes that mentoring is a challenge at many nonprofits because they lack the resources and knowledge to develop a strong mentoring program. "The requirements are pretty reasonable -- we just ask that mentors meet with mentees for one hour during four of the six months of the program."
The YNPN is hosting an open house for prospective mentors on Wednesday, May 9th from 5:30-7 pm at the offices of the Junior League of Greater Cleveland. The deadline for submitting an application to become a mentor is May 14th.
Source: Kari Mirkin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The population of Northeast Ohio's 12 most populous counties fell by seven percent from 4.1 million in 1970 to 3.8 million in 2010. Yet at the same time, suburban areas added 400 square miles of roads, shopping centers, housing developments and office parks.
That unabated trend towards urban sprawl is not sustainable, argues the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium, a new initiative that won a $4.25 million grant from the federal government in 2010 to plan for more sustainable land use patterns across the region. It also wastes resources, harms cities and makes the region less competitive.
So what would a truly vibrant future look like for Northeast Ohio? The NEOSCC hopes to engage young professionals in answering that question at a series of public engagement meetings. The next event is scheduled for Wednesday, May 16th at Brothers Lounge in Cleveland.
"A lot of times, decisions are made without involving young people, and we wanted them at the forefront," says Jeff Anderle, Director of Communications with the NEOSCC. "We keep hearing that they want a competitive economy in the region so that there are more job opportunities. They also want walkable communities and more vibrant downtowns throughout the 12-county area."
Anderle stresses that the NEOSCC is not dictating people's choices -- "We want to educate people so that they understand the big picture infrastructure costs and how they affect everyone," he says -- yet the initiative's impact will come down to how communities throughout the region adopt the NEOSCC's recommendations. The group plans to release an initial report on existing conditions in June.
Source: Jeff Anderle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
That unabated trend towards urban sprawl is not sustainable, argues the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium, a new initiative that won a $4.25 million grant from the federal government in 2010 to plan for more sustainable land use patterns across the region. It also wastes resources, harms cities and makes the region less competitive.
So what would a truly vibrant future look like for Northeast Ohio? The NEOSCC hopes to engage young professionals in answering that question at a series of public engagement meetings. The next event is scheduled for Wednesday, May 16th at Brothers Lounge in Cleveland.
"A lot of times, decisions are made without involving young people, and we wanted them at the forefront," says Jeff Anderle, Director of Communications with the NEOSCC. "We keep hearing that they want a competitive economy in the region so that there are more job opportunities. They also want walkable communities and more vibrant downtowns throughout the 12-county area."
Anderle stresses that the NEOSCC is not dictating people's choices -- "We want to educate people so that they understand the big picture infrastructure costs and how they affect everyone," he says -- yet the initiative's impact will come down to how communities throughout the region adopt the NEOSCC's recommendations. The group plans to release an initial report on existing conditions in June.
Source: Jeff Anderle
Writer: Lee Chilcote