← Back to Stories

Promise Ambassador's C.O.P.E. art exhibit on display at St. Vincent

December 2, 2021


Below is the text and a link to video from a story that aired on Channel 5 - WEWS about the "Becoming Unmasked" and "Hands Across Central" art exhibits curated by Promise Ambassador Andrea Johnson. 

The art, created through the C.O.P.E. project (Central Opportunity for Purposeful Engagement), is now on display at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center.

Residents use art to express their challenges while finding hope in what Cleveland's Central neighborhood can become

CLEVELAND — Life in Cleveland's Central neighborhood can often come with challenges.

"Whether it's the crime or the violence or poverty or death," said Andrea Johnson.

Add in a deadly pandemic, and the emotional toll can be crippling.

"It goes somewhere. And if you don't let it out then it simply eats away at you," said Johnson.

Central Opportunities for Purposeful Engagement or COPE gave residents and stakeholders in Central a safe space to express their emotions and process them through art.

“What we came up with exceeded our wildest expectations," said Johnson.

Twin sisters Mikeya and Makala Howard lost their father and grandfather to the coronavirus.

The pair is among a group of more than 50 people who submitted colorful paintings depicting the challenges along with continued hope that exists in Central.

"Made me feel sad, lonely, but at the same time I feel happy and grateful," said Makala Howard.

The artwork was initially individual 8X10 panels displayed at a community garden, but one day after celebrating its installation, vandals struck.

Instead of pulling the plug on the project, Andrea Johnson, who spearheaded the effort, partnered with St. Vincent Medical Center to have the artwork prominently displayed.

"We wanted to push through all of that to create hope. It has taken on a whole new life, and given it to a much broader audience," said Johnson.

For Mikeya and Makala Howard, the experience not only helped them release painful emotions, but it also instilled confidence to embrace who they are.

"It just really inspired me to do this," said Makala Howard.

Also part of the installation, masks created by the artists, who range in age from 10 to 98.

"We oftentimes have two sides. What the public sees and then what's inside," said Johnson.

Art therapist Heather Farkas said the emotional benefits of a community project like this go well beyond the artists.

"We talk about diet a lot as far as health, but what we see is also part of that diet. There's a special power in seeing something people created that didn't exist before they came along," said Farkas.

The common vision of good, through creative expression, highlights the hope of what the Central neighborhood can become.

"The message was we're invested. And that's huge, that's what you want. They really felt like they were part of the community and part of building it up or sustaining what was already here," said Farkas.

View the clip here:

 

 

RECENT & RELATED CONTENT

Promise Scholars Class of 2022 July 18, 2022 | Central neighborhood

Learn more about our Student Transitions work, including the names of all 2022 Promise Scholars

Read More
Highlights of Promise Ambassador Work 2021-2022 July 11, 2022 | Central neighborhood

Promise's latest Year in Review notes just a few of the many accomplishments of the Promise Ambassador program in recent months.

Read More
Central Surge Steering Committee: Details March 31, 2022 | Central neighborhood

How Central's leaders are accountability partners to the county Surge

Read More
Promise Early Learning Navigator Selected for Groundwork Ohio Fellowship January 10, 2022 | Central neighborhood

Congratulations to Coretta Daniel for joining the 2022 early childhood leadership cohort

Read More
View More
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube