Fri 12/6 @ 5pm
By Sarah Valek
Cleveland’s greatest asset is its people. Sure our sports teams inevitably suck, our politicians have proven scandalous and our new bridge is lackluster — but none of that changes the fact that we’re home to an emerging core of people staying here, investing here, dreaming big and trying to do good for the community.
Go to any neighborhood and you’ll find people following their passions and bringing their own creative flair to the city, whether they’re building motorcycles , roasting coffee in small batches, or recording up-and-coming musicians.
Cleveland graphic design studio Go Media (also known for its Weapons of Mass Creation Fest) spotlights some of these creative folks in their On the Map video series, with the 3rd installment premiering this Fri 12/6 at their warehouse offices on Lorain Ave.
Chris Comella, designer at Go Media, created the ongoing video series to showcase “amazing, unique things happening around the city of Cleveland,” while helping establish the city as a hub for artists and designers. Three installments later, the future is looking bright.
According to Comella, Cle’s arts and design scene is growing — and not just in the realm of visual arts and design. After all, to sustain a creative hub, you need more than just design studios and artists. You need quality things people want — like a great latte — served in one-of-a-kind establishments, not generic chains devoid of character.
He says, “It includes new businesses in general that are complimentary to the arts & design communities, which cater to a lifestyle that we dig on. So small things like really good coffee, bagels, food, galleries, film, conferences, etc… These are more holistic things that make neighborhoods better in general, that also cater to the arts community and make it a more well-rounded / appealing environment to create within.
“To say that Cleveland has a lot to offer the creative community goes without saying at this point. These ‘amenities’ so to speak need to keep popping up, and putting themselves out there, and things will only grow faster. I like meeting the people who become the spear-head for a super niche, but cool, thing they’re specializing in and bringing into the community. These people who are passionate about their thing need to keep popping up.”
The third installment of On the Map features a behind-the-scenes look at F*Sho, Cle’s contemporary furniture show, a visit to the gorgeous Cleveland Botanical Garden, and a peek into Momocho’s busy Ohio City kitchen.
Additionally, the video will highlight four neighborhoods — Cleveland Heights, Downtown, Ohio City and University Circle — and the landmarks that make them unique.
“The neighborhood videos are about showing what an ideal (or at the very least, a jam-packed) day might look like,” says Comella. “Obviously, depending on the neighborhood, the activities vary. The goal is to show a bit of the flavor of each neighborhood in a video-postcard / neighborhood portrait so to speak.”
So far the videos have been well-received.
“People like ’em! As the series grows we’re looking for opportunities to work with people interested in Cleveland’s growth. We’d love to team up with some sponsors to help keep the series growing and evolving in new exciting ways.”
But don’t just watch the video; go to the release party and meet others committed to improving the city. And hey — work hard, do your thing and get your own spot On the Map.
Go Media hosts the 3rd annual On the Map Video Series Release Event on Fri 12/6 from 5 – 9pm (screening at 7pm) in their studio at 4507 Lorain Ave., Cleveland. The premiere is free and open to all.
Cool Cleveland editor Sarah Valek studied art and writing at Ithaca College. After graduation, she came back to Cle and served two years as an AmeriCorps*VISTA with the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. She can be found on all sides of the city in pursuit of homeschooling activities for her son and the perfect soy latte. Contact her at CoolEditorATCoolCleveland.com or via Twitter.
Cleveland, OH 44102