There’s finally some good news following the years-long fight for the residents of the Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Building to preserve their creative space, before getting evicted by the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library to close the building for reasons that are still unclear. The creative and civic organizations that formed the community there were forced to scatter just as the new P.E.A.C.E. playground was being built, which would have formed a perfect synergy with those organizations.
Now one of the largest of those organization, the nonprofit ARTFUL, has announced the purchase of a new building just a few blocks away — the former St. Alban’s Episcopal Church on Euclid Heights Boulevard. ARTFUL’s leadership — executive director Shannon Morris and board president Brady Dindia — worked with the city of Cleveland Heights, the Episcopal Diocese and local real estate advisor Lee Chilcote to seal the deal, assuring that the space would remain community-facing and not be sold to a private developer to build more tax-abated town homes.
ARTFUL opened in the Coventry P.E.A.C.E building in 2017 with a mission to provide affordable studio space for artists and collaborative activities and events such as P.E.A.C.E. Pops, sales and exhibitions, potluck critiques and the winter Lantern Festival. It was a key player in activating the Coventry Village district.
Artists will move into the building over the next few months, with the number of studios similar to the old space which houses 26. It also plans to offer flexible workspaces and storage for artists who don’t need a permanent studio.
To learn more and support the organization’s work, go to artfulcleveland.org/donations/.