For Immediate Release

Contacts: 

City of Cleveland: Andrea Taylor, Press Secretary, call (216) 664-2220

Cleveland City Council: Katherine Samsa, Communications Director, call (216) 857-7362

Cleveland Public Art: Gregory Peckham, Executive Director, call (216) 621-5330

Downtown Cleveland Alliance: Josh Taylor, Public Relations Manager, call (216) 736-7799 

City of Cleveland's Public Art Commission  

City of Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson and Ward 13 City Councilman Joe Cimperman joined with Cleveland Public Art, the Downtown Cleveland Alliance to announce the first public art installation along Superior Avenue between E. 17 th and E. 22nd Streets on Saturday, September 15th at 2:30pm in front of the Tower Press Building (1900 Superior Avenue). This public art installation is the first resulting from the City's Percent for Art Legislation.  

In 2005, the City of Cleveland's Public Art Committee selected Cleveland artist Stephen Manka to complete a $200,000 public art project along Superior Avenue between East 17th to East 22nd Streets.  Selected from a nationwide pool of 60 artists/teams, Manka's artwork consists of three illuminated stainless steel sculptural pavilions along the north side of Superior Avenue. The pavilions are inspired by the iconic water towers on the rooftops of the street's industrial buildings.  Using computer programmed LED lighting technology, the pavilions glow at night and feature changeable light displays. 

"The City is committed to supporting and encouraging the arts to remain a strong, vibrant part of this community," said Mayor Frank G. Jackson.   "The public art pavilions along Superior Avenue celebrate both the talent and rich artist culture in Cleveland and its neighborhoods."

Using the City of Cleveland's Percent for Art ordinance, which requires all applicable capital improvement projects over $350,000 to set aside 1.5% of the total budget for including artists in their design, the public art project serves as a model for the design of future capital investments.  The goal of the legislation is to create unique public places that will help enhance the identities of both neighborhoods and large civic projects. 

"We have seen artists make strong impacts in Cleveland neighborhoods like Tremont, Ohio City, and the Warehouse District.  The Superior Avenue public art project draws attention to the growing arts community east of the river," said Councilman Joe Cimperman, whose ward includes the District.  "Arts and culture serve as an effective economic engine and it is critical for the City to continue making investments in artists and their communities."  

The public art on Superior Avenue is the newest addition to the improvements taking place in Cleveland's City Artists at Work Neighborhood, the City's up-and-coming artists' district.  Superior Avenue has a number of former warehouses that are being converted to live-work artist space and galleries.   It is also the home of The Plain Dealer.

THE ARTWORK:

Each of Manka's three public art pavilions references a unique aspect of the Superior Avenue District.  The "woven dome" references the area's history as a textile district.  The "watering tower" reflects the visible rooftop landmarks along Superior Avenue.  The "excavator pavilion" responds to the strong manufacturing and industrial character of the area.  All three sculptural gathering places are illuminated at night to create what the artist envisions as urban lanterns, glowing lanterns that dot the edges of the street.  Stephen Manka collaborated with local fabricator Precision Welding and contractor Envirocom.   Other local artists, Amie McNeel, Michael Moritz and lighting Architect Rusty Culp, assisted Manka in the building of the artwork.