Neighborhood Engagement (C)ART

Neighborhood (C)ART is a mobile art and culture kiosk that invites residents of Near North/Willard-Hay to engage one another through unexpected, approachable, interactive programs designed by and for neighbors, and acts as an “office in the streets” from which NRRC can connect residents to community information and resources.

The cart is designed to mimic an ice cream cart or hot chocolate vendor, and is staffed by Northside artists, community organizers, and Cleveland Neighborhood Association board members. Participants dispense sweet healthy snacks and beverages, as well as information about Cleveland Neighborhood Association programs, resources, and opportunities for civic participation, while also inviting creative interaction and face-to-face conversation and storytelling.

The cart is deployed at neighborhood events, in city parks, at bus stops and on street corners. Neighborhood organizers, artists and residents use the cart and its materials - everything from art supplies to a PA system and projector - to create interactive programs that encourage conversation and connection among neighbors, and which help to spread the word about resources and opportunities available through Cleveland Neighborhood Association as a neighborhood organization.

We believe neighborhoods are not only the sum of their roads, schools, and shopping malls; they’re the sum of their relationships. Cleveland Neighborhood Association has been engaged in the work of building relationships with and among neighbors since 1969, yet reaching out and engaging a broad population of residents and sustaining that engagement remains a challenge. Traditional meeting schedules and structures, as well as perceptions of the accessibility and relevance of neighborhood engagement can be a barrier to broader visibility and participation in neighborhood organizing efforts.

The Neighborhood (C)ART seeks to address this by creating a direct line of contact with and between neighbors in a way that is creative, playful, accessible, and fun.