It's Up To Us: Reclaiming Our Clark Avenue Mural

Located on Cleveland’s west side the It's Up To Us mural is arguably one of Cleveland's most beloved pieces of public art. A reflection of our neighborhood's experiences and the changing dynamics of the Clark-Fulton neighborhood.  Designed and painted by John Rivera-Resto, the 2,000 square-foot panoramic work of art challenges residents and visitors alike to engage in thoughts and conversation around social and economic pressures throughout our neighborhood. The contents of the mural were a product of thoughtful and intentional community dialogs that created connections amongst running themes.

On the morning of November 14th, neighbors were welcomed by a gruesome act of vandalism against our neighborhood mural. One-third of the mural was defaced by bold and evident tagging, leaving residents and corridor commuters in rage. Together we are channeling these emotions to proactively reclaim our mural. Due to the overwhelming volume of calls on how residents, institutions, the city, and stakeholders can help we have created this crowdfunding effort. Be it sharing this page or making a small contribution, your efforts in helping us reclaim our mural will be a testament to all the mural stands for, HOPE. 

1. Cover the tagging with a banner that says "Reclaiming Our Mural Spring 2018" 

2. Work with Master Muralist John River-Resto to establish the extent of the damage is next steps in preparing the wall for repairs. 

3. Do outreach for in-kind donations for supplies and volunteer time. 

4. Work with the building owners in developing a lighting plan that complements the mural and creates a sense of security and vigilance around the mural. 

5. Assist John River-Resto in executing actions steps needed for repairs to begin (permits, sidewalk closing, scaffolding rentals, etc.) 

6. Organize an area clean up in reparation for the ribbon cutting. 

7. Organize a ribbon cutting to celebrate the repairs! 

It's  Up To Us is the cornerstone of major revitalization efforts throughout the Clark-Fulton neighborhood and its repair represents the resilience of the neighborhoods residents and desire for progress.