Take a closer look while you’re walking around downtown and you may notice, that slowly, but surely, many empty storefront windows are being transformed with art displays or posters. This effort was initiated about a year ago and is now called “Cleveland Storefront Art” Joan Smith, Myself and a host of others have helped launch the program which seems to be growing more popular.

A few of the latest completed fronts were at 811 Prospect where Ted Sikora’s huge Apama comic character and cast gazes out from the windows of the building onto Prospect, watching over our streets! Another completion features artist Phyllis Bako’s larger than life sculpture of the Goddess Of Speed display at the Halle Building. The Goddess Of Speed is the hood ornament for one of the region’s first automobiles, The Packard—which has a museum over in nearby Warren.

All art is for sale and artist contact details are on all displays. Hopefully, as we complete enough space, we can offer a self guided art walk–however–spaces often become leased out so the walk may vary from month to month—But, that is OK because the point of the program is to make space more marketable.

The program, which is entirely volunteer, has a goal and vision to see empty and dreary retail window space brought to life through art. This can achieve many positives. For starters, it allows local artists to be recognized and to promote their product which helps to stimulate local independent and smaller economies.

Additionally, it completely transforms the feel of an empty window from a depressing one, to a more vibrant and promising one. The property owner now benefits because the empty space now becomes more marketable with better curb appeal, inspiring passersby as to how handsome an historic downtown retail window can look when cleaned and dressed properly. Hopefully that can even lead to promoting a new potential business occupant for that property!

And because people like to window browse, the program hopes to spread more pedestrian traffic around downtown beyond the districts to look at the windows. Lastly, more foot traffic can lead to more eyes on the streets for an added safety component, while dead zones are livened up and/or lit at night time.

A vacant property getting involved in the program is the perfect thing to do in economic tough times and best of all, it is free! There is a myriad of great local artists and art available—And as long as we have that supply, there is no need to have empty or dirty looking windows downtown. Finally, attractive windows allow the downtown street scape to evoke a much more positive mood and vibe; especially to out-of-town visitors. These are just a few of the many benefits.

DCA has been a great help with recently participating in the preparation of the outside of the window facades with washing them and preparing a fresh look from the start. We hope to add more displays along E. 6th Street and along Euclid and anywhere downtown or in Cleveland for that matter. If anyone is interested in assisting with this program in any way, OR, if you have a window you want made over, please contact us! I can also refer those interested to our Flickr page which features photos of the many storefronts that have been made-over.

This post was written by a DCA City Advocate. To learn more about the City Advocate Program, please click here.