Project Jericho, a nationally acclaimed youth outreach program based at Clark State Community College, in collaboration with The Conscious Connect, Inc., will add yet another eye-catching mural to the south side of downtown Springfield, Ohio.
Project Jericho provides in-depth visual and performing arts programming to youth and families across Clark County, Ohio. The Conscious Connect, Inc. focuses on reimagining and redeveloping underutilized spaces for the purpose of education, culture, health and peace.
“While, we've known of The Conscious Connect's heart for our community since their founding, this is the first community collaboration we've worked on together,” said Lauren Houser, director of Project Jericho. “We share interests and values, including our Little Libraries and Houses of Knowledge that are dispersed throughout the community to offer free and available literature to youth throughout the community. We celebrate and admire their mission statement.”
The new downtown Springfield mural will be located at 1615 Woodward Avenue. “It is geographically located in our Children's Equity Zone,” said Karlos Marshall, co-founder of The Conscious Connect, Inc. The Children’s Equity Zone also includes a reading park and basketball court.
The new mural is a colorful, geometric design that includes words of encouragement. Columbus based artist Studio Cera Marie, a teaching artist for Project Jericho since 2015, is the lead artist who developed the design. More than 25 Project Jericho teenagers and youth from the surrounding neighborhood are working on the mural which is expected to be completed by August 21.
“We will paint over the course of a week and a half and will paint in small groups,” said Houser. “We believe we can complete this mural in a safe and cautious way. The size of the court allows us to physically distance, and we will vigilantly monitor temperatures, wear masks, use hand sanitizer and sanitize after each participant leaves.”
Houser says this project is distinctly meaningful as it gives Project Jericho a chance to bring art to a community and neighborhood that already operates as a family.
“We are building off this evolving idea of ‘creative placemaking’ which is centered around bringing arts, culture and creativity to neighborhoods,” she said. “Woodward Avenue is already a place where people are and where they want to be. We are just adding to the vibrancy and energy of this South Springfield neighborhood.”
Houser says the mural provided a chance for Project Jericho to build off of the work that The Conscious Connect has already invested into this neighborhood and family park through color, collaboration and relationships.
“In brainstorming and developing a design, we knew we wanted this court to be a space of encouragement and a reminder that joy and hope are available to us even during difficult times,” she said.
The Conscious Connect’s geographical focus is south Springfield neighborhoods and residents. The organization seeks to address access and opportunity gaps related to place and space, cultural experiences and education. Marshall said The Conscious Connect has always admired the works of Project Jericho in making artistic experiences and expression available to all youth regardless of their background.
“Their public murals across the city speak for themselves, and we thought this was a unique opportunity to bring additional vibrancy to one of Springfield's best kept secrets,” he said.
The Conscious Connect has been recognized globally for its youth literacy efforts but Marshall believes the efforts to revitalize vacant properties into neighborhood parks and green spaces on the South Side are equally deserving.
“Everything our organization has ever done has been in collaboration with others in the community, and we think this collective impact project will amplify voices to beautify this side of town, as well,” he said.
Houser said the Project Jericho staff is committed to finding ways to continue engaging youth and families in meaningful art experiences throughout this unprecedented time by offering virtual open studio sessions every Monday since April. Project Jericho has also equipped each participant with their own art supplies to use at home.
“We are working with our diverse and dynamic teaching artists to find ways for them to develop programming opportunities that can be administered through virtual platforms for now,” said Houser. “We know this year will be unlike any other year in the 21 years of Project Jericho's history, and we know that the performing and visual arts are needed now more than ever.”