Cuyahoga Falls, OH, February 24, 2020 – Students of all ages from Cuyahoga Falls City Schools had the opportunity to create artwork that is now on display throughout Cuyahoga Falls City Hall until May, including during the All City Art Walk on April 23. The rotating art installations are made possible through an ongoing partnership with the City of Cuyahoga Falls, Collide: Cuyahoga Falls, Cuyahoga Falls City Schools and Western Reserve Hospital.
“It is an honor to continue our partnership with Western Reserve Hospital and the Cuyahoga Falls City Schools to showcase the talent of our local student artists,” said Mayor Don Walters. “These creative pieces of art have breathed new life into our building and we are proud to continue our support of the arts in our community by hosting this display at City Hall.”
“We continue to look forward to supporting student art and this year’s All City Art Walk because we believe in fostering creativity throughout our school and community,” said Dr. Robert Kent, president and CEO of Western Reserve Hospital.
Dozens of students from Kindergarten to 12th grade took time to create original artwork that is currently hanging near the utility and billing offices as well as the second floor conference room in City Hall.
A collaborative project also on display is a colorful, three-panel mural created by eighth graders from Bolich Middle School. It is titled “Past, Present and Future” in reference to the past, present and future of the city of Cuyahoga Falls and the Cuyahoga River. The overall concept of the project is how man has the power to destroy the environment but also has the ability to make changes to protect and restore the environment.
The project encompassed a variety of research endeavors, the highlight of which was having Mayor Walters visit their classroom to answer questions and give insights into the city, the river and this specific opportunity of creating art for City Hall. They also took time to walk along the river, gather details and take photographs to portray the river properly.
Since 2019 was the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River burning, students decided to focus on communicating the importance of this event in sparking the development of new laws to clean up and protect the river. Each panel is dedicated to a period of time:
• Past – 1969 - Cuyahoga River caught fire and fostered the development of legislation
• Present – 2019 - How far we have come and how far we must go
• Future – Hopeful for continued environmental progress and enjoyment of river
View the student artwork at Cuyahoga Falls City Hall Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., or during the All City Art Walk on April 23.
