Slavic Village: art and the building of a community – The Cauldron
On the south side of Cleveland lies a little historic neighborhood, Slavic Village. With unique architecture and deep cultural history, the village was one of the earliest settlements in the Cuyahoga region.
“Little Downtown” is how lifelong resident Debbie Daniels describes Slavic Village.
However, now Slavic Village faces dilapidated storefronts, a declining resident population and a failing economy. Driving down Broadway, the street that runs through the center of the village, feels like looking at the bones of a once beautiful and quaint town.
Yet despite the hardships there is still a strong sense of pride and community among residents.
“I have been here all my life, I’m 69, and with “Rooms to Let”, I am trying to bring this neighborhood back together and get people involved,” Daniels said.
Daniels is a volunteer in the community, aiding the Slavic Village Development organization to bring life back to the community. One way that the organisation is revitalizing the village is through art.
Photo taken by Cory Conrad
Since 2014, Slavic Village has hosted Rooms to Let, an immersive art festival bringing people inside and outside the community together. With art installations from local artists, street vendors, and local activists all working together to beautify a run-down street to show Cleveland that the Village stands strong amidst hardship.
“It is a way for all of us to connect with one another and welcome each other,” said artist Ava Tapajna.
Tapajna displayed her piece ‘Subtle Vibrations’ at Rooms to Let; it was her first time having her artwork on display, and she discussed how surreal it was to have her work out in the open for the first time.
Photo taken by Cory Conrad
“It is about silence and grounding yourself to the earth and being in the moment,” said Tapajna. “It’s a metaphor for one’s brain going too fast but then taking a moment to walk through this and take a moment to see what’s actually happening.”
Tapajna’s piece was an interactive piece that allowed viewers to walk into a spiral of ribbons and strings. Inviting them to let go of the weight on their shoulders and the whirlwind of internal thoughts, and sit with themselves for a moment, and to reflect on the world around them.
Subtle Vibrations is an homage to the community, that even though it feels as if the world is constantly spinning the Slavic Village still stands strong in the face of adversity.
“Rooms to Let is using space and beautifying it, in Cleveland we have a lot of spaces that aren’t being used” said Tapajna. “I think this event is a way to hear what the community wants in their spaces.”
Tapajna’s artwork was one of many art installations that make up Rooms to Let. Walking down Broadway, artworks were intertwined into every open space and crevice of Slavic Village. The sounds of laughing children running around and playing, as well as music filling the air.
Tucked away into a grassy alley was ‘The Labyrinth’, a small open-air gallery of artwork and local musicians playing songs about social change and equality. People chatted and danced in the little alley; a community came together to enjoy good music and company.
This is the goal of The Labyrinth, Jimmy Wood said in an interview. Wood is the curator of The Labyrinth and has held it annually since the early 2000s, and has been a part of Rooms to Let for the past few years.
“It is a platform that I like to bring people to mix and mingle and engage, it doesn’t matter white, brown, old, young, it’s just about vibes and people coming together,” said Wood. “People say this community is challenging, but I, as an artist, see it as an opportunity. I see creativity, and I’m glad to have this platform.”
Wood also discusses how vibrant the Cleveland art scene is and how one of the main aspects of The Labyrinth is to give local underground artists a platform to perform and express their art for the community. Rooms to Let has allowed him to bring creativity and color to a part of Cleveland that has seen a decline in life and community.
Photo taken by Cory Conrad
Rooms to Let is a part of the Neighborhood Plan, a year-long initiative to help community leaders make decisions about the future of the community as well as outreach and data collection to learn what residents want changed or added to the community.
For residents the neighborhood plan gives a platform to voice their concerns and ideas. The plan aids businesses and developers to stimulate economic growth. For community organizations it outlines goals and actions to take that will benefit Slavic Village as a whole.
“Looking at all the facets of the community, including housing, commercial, connectivity, [and] quality of life. It’s a long process that’s rooted in making sure we understand the community,” said Chad Renault, a consultant for Smith Group who is aiding Slavic Village Development with the Neighborhood Plan.
Renault worked on an interactive painting of the intersection of Broadway and 55th Street, an old, rundown corner that was once a bustling shopping center. inviting visitors to add to the painting by depicting what they thought the community could benefit from.
Visitors added communal seating, shops, restaurants, families walking and much more.
Photo taken by Cory Conrad
“Unfortunately, we have these boarded-up corners and buildings, and through this painting, we can illustrate what this area used to be and what it could be in the future,” Renault said. “Slavic Village is a very old neighborhood, and it has a tremendous amount of bones as a result of that.”
Over the next year, Slavic Village Development, alongside the City of Cleveland, aims to bring life and stability back to the Village.