Covelli Collective, The Foundry Concert Club, Black Market Records, Cloud Chamber Vapor, and The Phantasy Entertainment Complex are reaching out to neighboring businesses such as The Northcoast College of Art & Design (formerly known as The Virginia Marti College), The Five O'Clock Lounge, neighboring households, and YOU- regarding the attention paid to their stretch of Detroit Avenue from West 117th Street to Fry Avenue.
After exploring areas such as Gordon Square, Waterloo, Hingetown and Slavic Village, with their beautiful murals and street fairs, we feel that with the combination of music, food, arts and design in our area should be allowed to stand out. We are asking The City Of Lakewood to recognize these unique businesses at the end of the oldest road in Lakewood and to proudly designate this stretch as The Arts and Entertainment District of Lakewood.
If you believe in this vision please sign here (if you aren't one of the 250 physical signatures we altready received), so we can submit your signature at our meeting with the mayor. Thank you for your support!
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A growing body of research has positively identified murals with social, cultural, and economic benefits as well as positive mental health. Murals have the added benefit of intersectionality, meaning they promote these characteristics simultaneously, in a synergistic way. Some specific ways in which murals are beneficial include:
PUBLIC ART
Murals offer accessibility to art and creative expression without the cost and class-based barriers associated with museums and galleries.
AESTHETICS
Through the visual aesthetic, murals promote a sense of identity, belonging, attachment, welcoming, and openness.
TOURISM + COMMERCE
Mural programs have been used as economic development initiatives, with the goal of increasing tourism by making commercial retail sectors more attractive destinations for visitors, as well as local residents.
CREATIVE PLACEMAKING + PLACE KEEPING
Murals create a tangible sense of destination resulting in increased foot traffic while adding color, vibrancy, and character to urban environment. Murals have served as the backdrops for music videos, art walks, community celebrations, and more. They can create an "instagrammable moment".
PUBLIC SAFETY
Murals are examples of the controversial "broken windows" theory in reverse – enhancing public safety by creating a feeling that a location is cared for, which in turn makes crimes of opportunity such as vandalism and illegal dumping less likely.
ABATEMENT
Murals can effect tag mitigation, and deter recidivism. In addition to a beautification advantage over simple abatement – murals are simply more attractive to look at than blank walls. They can also offer significant long term cost savings in vandalism hotspots and generally require only minor maintenance when best practice methods (such as clear coating) are employed.
FACILITATE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS & COLLABORATIONS
Murals can connect artists, community organizations, non-profits, small businesses, community development corporations, developers, government agencies, educational and cultural institutions, and youth programs, in creative engagement projects.
