"I think Cleveland is a good place. Inner city is rough, but the outskirts is real beautiful, and great schools there. Plus my family, my mom and my sisters, they're all in Cleveland, so it's easier for me to be there than anywhere else." This quote, from an excellent Free Times interview with Charles "Wish Bone" Scruggs, of Cleveland-roots, Grammy award winning, multi-platinum rap trailblazers Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, sings the woes of a place branded as a "Shrinking City", where even the urban hard-core Thugs chose the 'burbs over the 'hood. The result of such out-migration, and downright defection, as is the case with all the other members of Bone, is the subject of a series of art exhibitions and related events taking place over the next month, all over town... which event sponsor Kent Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative (CUDC) introduces by pointing out: "In 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Cleveland had lost nearly 20,000 residents in just five years. The city’s population of 458,684 was the lowest in nearly one hundred years." Starting Friday, April 20, 2007, at 4:30 PM, with a lecture at CUDC, explore what it means when a city loses its Bones...

Continuing, from the CUDC Website:

Now, a cutting-edge global investigation brings light to the consequences of suburbanization, de-industrialization, and a number of other factors contributing to the growing issue of shrinking cities. Researchers investigate and document the changed cultural reality of urban population decline as they highlight themes including neglect, appropriation of spaces, changed practices of daily life and survival strategies.

Shrinking Cities examines the worldwide phenomenon of urban population decline. Part one (Research), which will be on display at the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative, explores the global patterns of shrinkage, as well as the change in urban landscapes, everyday practices and political implications. Part two (Interventions), appearing at SPACES Gallery, features alternative models of intervention and self-empowerment strategies for action.

It is very worthwhile checking out the CUDC website and the Spaces website for more information on related events around Cleveland, as there are many exicting other explorations of the subject, including an outdoor film festival and Flats nature walk... a great collaboration.... and don't miss the related photo exhibition at A.J. Rocco's!

For further information see http://www.SPACESgallery.org and http://www.cudc.kent.edu/shrink.

Program ///

Shrinking Cities Lectures ///

Shrinking Cities: A Global Phenomenon
Nicole Minten-Jung, Shrinking Cities Assistant Curator
Friday, April 20, 4:30-5:30pm
Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative
820 Prospect Avenue
Followed by Exhibit Opening Reception
Free and open to the public.

Openings ///

SPACES Gallery
Friday, April 20, 2007
5–6pm: Member preview hour
6–9pm: Public reception
Free and open to the public. Refreshments available.

Cleveland Institute of Art & Kent State University Photography Show
April 20-June 8, 2007
Student photography show at AJ Roccos, 816 Huron Road
Open Monday 7 am – 8 pm, Tuesday-Friday 7 am – midnight, and Sat – 8 pm - midnight

 

Exterritories
Gallery Talk with Johannes Fiedler
Friday, June 8, 2007, 6:00pm SPACES Gallery2220 Superior Viaduct
Free and open to the public 

Symposium: Shrinking Cities
Friday, May 11, 1:00-4:00pm
Josaphat Arts Hall
1433 East 33rd Street , Cleveland
Speakers
Kyong Park, Founder/Director of the International Center for Urban Ecology (NYC, NY); Mel Chin, Artist (NYC, NY and North Carolina); Frances Whitehead, Artist (Chicago); Thorsten Wiechmann, Institute of Ecological and Regional Development (Dresden, Germany)
Free and open to the public, but reservations are required. Please RSVP to the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative at (216) 357-3434 or kmcnulty_gst*at*kent.edu

Shrinking Cities: Events in the City ///

Shrinking Cities Film Festival
Tuesday, May 1, 4-6 p.m.
Dively Auditorium at the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs
Cleveland State University, 1717 Euclid Avenue
Co-sponsored by the Levin College Forum in the Center for Civic Education at Cleveland State University, Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs.
Free and open to the public

Cities Growing Smaller: Music and Movies at Hyacinth ParkFriday, May 18, 7:00-10:00pm
Outdoor event at Hyacinth Park in Slavic Village (East 63th Street between Waterman and Wren Avenues) featuring live local bands and films from the Shrinking Cities project. This event is co-sponsored by Slavic Village Development and the Friends of Hyacinth Park.
Free and open to the public. Food and drink will be available for purchase. Bring lawnchairs and blankets.
In case of rain, the event will be held in the St Hyacinth Community Room, 6114 Francis Avenue, Cleveland.
Films:
Shrinking Cities Film  Antje Ehmann
Moving Graves J. Huellmantel, Dan Pitera, Chistopher Lee with Mitch Cope
Abnehemen leicht gemacht/Karotoons Philipp Oswalt, Klaus OvermeyerIntroduction to Wildflowers lucky kitchen
Blinkenlights/Chaos Computer Club Creatmosfairy
COW-the udder way Ulrike Steven et al.
Post Barnsley/squint opera Alsop Architects
Bands:
The Bright Red Fight, Rainy Day Saints, Home and Garden
Special guest artist:
Double Dutch will take you Higher

Location