SNOOPS, ECGRA, Erie Arts & Culture, and The Big Picture unveil mural project celebrating neighborhood cultural diversity
SNOOPS, ECGRA, Erie Arts & Culture, and The Big Picture
unveil mural project celebrating neighborhood cultural diversity
Local artists, businesses, nonprofits collaborate to create and install murals
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—OCTOBER 6, 2015—ERIE, PA—Board members and staff of the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority, Erie Art Museum, Erie Arts & Culture, and the YMCA of Greater Erie, and members of local media, were treated today to a twelve-block walking tour of four murals celebrating the ethnic diversity of neighborhood residents in the SNOOPS Neighborhood Association footprint. The walking tour concluded with a reception hosted by Bay City Tattoo, 759 East 12th Street, Erie, where the final installation was presented.
Representative of SNOOPS Neighborhood residents, each mural depicts a national flag with traditional figures. Stops along the tour included:
- a Polish flag with dancers in traditional dress, located on the north (East 12th Street) wall of St. Stan’s Parish Hall, 516 East 13th Street;
- a Nepali flag with women in traditional dress, located on the south wall of Cobb’s Second Time Around Thrift Store, 1215 Parade Street;
- a Somalia flag with one male dancer, located at East 15th and Ash Streets near the CSX Railroad overpass; and
- a Bhutanese Flag with dancers, located on the east wall of Bay City Tattoo, 759 East 12th Street.
The project was funded via more than $20,000 in grants distributed by ECGRA ($10,640 in Community Assets Grants funds), Erie Arts and Culture ($4,458), and The Big Picture ($5,000), a collaborative effort of the Erie Art Museum, Erie Arts & Culture, and the YMCA of Greater Erie with support from Tungsten Creative Group.
SNOOPS Board Chair John Villa said, “Neighborhood Watch #13 is very grateful to funders for the grants we received to place murals in our neighborhood. Our neighborhood has a long history of diversity. It was the only polish neighborhood in the city of Erie and our ancestors were welcomed with open arms, just as today we welcome those with different ethnic backgrounds.”
Local artists Ed Grout and Tom Ferraro were commissioned for the art and culture project. The team designed the murals after six months of community outreach that sought ideas about the neighborhood and how it should be represented in the art. Approximately 25 community members and organizations participated in the project design, painting, and installation, including:
- Neighborhood residents
- Erie County Juvenile Probation
- Erie County Adult Probation Community Service Program
- Local artists Cathy Ferraro and Barb Crone
- Business owners Amy Cobb (Cobb’s Second Time Around) and Annette Woodward (Bay City Tattoo)
- Fr. Bernard Urbaniak of St. Stanislaus Church
- Erie resident Gordon Finn
Sue Moyer, Elm Street manager of the SNOOPS Neighborhood Association said, “This project could not have happened without the involvement of neighborhood residents—both well-established and recent arrivals—St. Stan’s Church, neighborhood business owners, and community members dedicated to making Erie neighborhoods better places to live and work. There is something about working on a project like this that forges bonds and builds relationships that may not have occurred otherwise. It has truly been a community-building experience.”
All but one mural were prepared for installation in a classroom at St. Stanislaus’ School. The murals were painted on specialty fabric, and then pasted into place much like wallpaper. The installation does not harm or alter the building surface and is expected to last 25 years or longer. The fourth mural, located at East 15th & Ash, was painted directly onto the building.
The SNOOPS Neighborhood is located between East 12th and East 15th streets, from French to Wayne streets. Formed in 1995 and designated an Elm Street neighborhood in 2000, the SNOOPS Neighborhood Association has been an active force in addressing crime and neighborhood deterioration for nearly 15 years. Learn more at SnoopsErie.org.
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ABOUT THE FUNDERS
Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority
In 2014, SNOOPS Neighborhood Association received $10,640 in Community Assets Grants funds. Community Assets Grants are targeted to arts-, heritage-, entertainment-, and recreation-centric nonprofit organizations that increase tourism, enhance places, and develop culture. By doing so, they impact economic vitality by improving Erie’s chances of attracting and retaining skilled workers and innovative and invested employers. Visit ECGRA.org for a complete list of grantees and information about upcoming grants.
Erie Arts & Culture
The SNOOPS Neighborhood Association received a 2014-2015 Erie Arts & Culture Project Grant in the amount of $4,458. Erie Arts & Culture awards competitive grants from contributions to the annual Arts & Culture Campaign and revenue from the Erie Arts Endowment.
The Big Picture
The project received support from The Big Picture, a collaborative effort of the Erie Art Museum, Erie Arts & Culture, and the YMCA of Greater Erie with support from Tungsten Creative Group. With funding from Erie Insurance Group and the legacy gifts of the 2012 Governor’s Awards, The Big Picture’s goal is to provide resources and support to artists and property owners interested in the creation of murals. The SNOOPS Neighborhood Association received a Big Picture grant in the amount of $5,000 to support neighborhood murals. The Big Picture’s next project is planned for the Skinner Building at 337 West 12th Street. A call for artists is currently available at erieartmuseum.org/thebigpicture.
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