East Chattanooga – Glass House Collective

The Asphalt Art Mural is here!

Veronique — Fri, 28 May 2021 01:01:06 +0000

The Asphalt Art mural is here!

The corner of Crutchfield and Glass is looking sunnier lately. During the month of April, we worked with philanthropic powerhouses, beloved businesses and resident experts (not to mention Hardy Elementary all-stars) to create, vet and install a block-long asphalt mural. The sun ray design was crafted by artist Kevin Bate and selected by residents. But bringing it to life? That was truly a community-wide labor of love.

Supported by a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies, we partnered with the Chattanooga Department of Transportation and Chattanooga Design Studio to plan the mural. Our goal was to place it at an intersection with lots of foot traffic, to encourage vehicle traffic to slow down, and beautify the area. Given the opening of a new Save-A-Lot at the corner, this stretch of Crutchfield skipped recent infrastructure improvements so it felt like a perfect candidate for some bright art, a new community space, and a slow-down.

Once our plans were in place, a squad of volunteers, residents and students brought it to life, helping with painting, plantings and the creation of beautiful gathering spaces nearby.

The mural was unveiled at the grand opening block party for Save A Lot — our new neighbor! — along with a temporary community space and boardwalk. From start to finish, the asphalt art project has been a community-owned public safety project, leaning on local businesses, schools and residents to help make Glass Street cleaner, safer and more inviting.

While our mural is truly one of a kind, we’re also proud to be part of a series of asphalt art projects supported by Bloomberg. You can read more about their program and impact in a recent New York Times piece here (and watch out for a special Glass House shout-out).

Learn more about the full Asphalt Art mural at our project page.

You can also learn more about the Planning by Doing workshop that inspired this project here.

Safe routes for kids, by kids

Veronique — Thu, 27 May 2021 21:14:46 +0000

Hardy Safe Walk: Safe routes for kids, by kids

Getting to and from school should be easy and safe. But with so much traffic on Glass Street and nearby Dodson Avenue, kids at Hardy Elementary have a lot to negotiate on their commute. Our Hardy Safe Walk team worked with teachers and students to come up with creative ways to mark safe paths for walking, and then brought them to life over two days of field trips and creative student engagement.

Teams of art students hit the street with stencils and wheat paste to mark a safe walking path to and from Hardy. The stencils included Hardy’s Eagle mascot created by a neighborhood artist Jonathan Dean, and were painted on the sidewalk in bright colors. The stencils were applied at the same time as the Crutchfield Asphalt Mural, bringing color to every corner of Glass Street’s sidewalks and gathering spaces.

A big thanks to Hardy’s art teacher Sarah Cross, who shared lessons with her students about murals and stencils in the weeks leading up to the field trips.

Block Party Recap & Mural Unveiling

Veronique — Thu, 27 May 2021 20:34:16 +0000

Welcome to the neighborhood: Save-A-Lot Block Party Recap & Mural Unveiling

We’re thrilled to welcome Save-A-Lot to the Glass Street community. On April 25, the community came together to celebrate, skate and enjoy live music around the freshly painted Crutchfield Asphalt Mural.

The event kicked off with words from Chattanooga’s newly elected mayor, Tim Kelly, as well as thoughts from other community leaders. The day-long party included music from Soundcorps, featuring artists Marcus Ellsworth, 2 Deepwithin, Tyler Andrew, Arche Twitty, Erika Roberts, and Karla Felecia Scaife throughout the event.

The team at Save-A-Lot organized a great spread of food trucks, vendors and family-friendly activities to keep folks happy, fed and out all day. Our friends at Moonlight Roller offered free rollerskate rentals so that neighbors could cruise around on the freshly painted mural, alongside skateboarders, cyclists, neighbors (and the occasional dog).

A huge thanks to our neighbors and volunteers who made the block party, and the days leading up to it, so full of fun, beauty, creativity and engagement.

Save-A-Lot Grand Opening + Block Party on Sunday April 25

Veronique — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 17:55:24 +0000

Glass House Collective and the Chattanooga Department of Transportation, in partnership with Chattanooga Design Studio, recently received a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies. The grant specifically funds an Asphalt Art Initiative and helps cities use art and community engagement to improve street safety and revitalize public spaces.

We’ve put that grant to work, and now we’re excited to unveil Chattanooga’s newest asphalt mural along Crutchfield Street as part of a grand opening block party for the area’s new Save-A-Lot store. Join us for an afternoon of festivities.

Save-A-Lot Grand Opening Block Party and Mural Unveiling
Sunday, April 25
12 to 4 pm

Live music from Soundcorps, featuring artists Marcus Ellsworth, 2 Deepwithin, Tyler Andrew, Arche Twitty, Erika Roberts, and Karla Felecia Scaife throughout the event.
Comments from our elected officials at 1:30 pm
Roller skate rentals from Moonlight Roller, available for anyone 18+ free of charge (and if you’re already a skater, bring your own to cruise on the freshly painted mural).
Food trucks, vendors and family-friendly activities organized by the great team at Save-A-Lot

We can’t wait to show off the beautiful mural, designed by artist Kevin Bate with input and engagement from the community, supported by 2$ON as his lead on-site assistant. We’ll also unveil new temporary public space amenities for getting the community together, all designed by a team of East Chattanooga residents, artists, design professionals and business leaders. The space is full of creative kid’s activities, seating, planters, shade, and lighting. And a huge shout-out to Hardy Elementary for all their involvement in bringing this project to life!

Images courtesy Make Beautiful

For more information about the event, email Miss Mack, the general manager at Save-A-Lot at savealot2300@gmail.com or check out the event listing on Facebook.

Volunteer Day: Countdown to Crutchfield

tkinser — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 21:59:29 +0000

It’s a big month on Glass Street, with the grand opening of Save A Lot scheduled for April 24 and a whole month’s worth of activities leading up to the big day. In honor of this moment in the community, we’ve partnered with Bloomberg Philanthropies to bring a massive asphalt art project to Crutchfield Street directly in front of the new grocery store. We’re also working with teams of students at Hardy Elementary to bring art to the street and designate safe paths for kids to access the new store and rec center from the school. And oh yeah: we’ve also got a big grand opening block party planned for April 24.

But first things first: we need to get Crutchfield ready.

Volunteers will be on-site on Saturday, April 17 from 9 am to 1 pm to get our Glass Street gateway ready for the Save A Lot grand opening and asphalt art installation. Neighbors from Reach One Teach One, Scenic City Angel, Build It Green, Mark Making and our Gathering Spaces Team will be on hand, helping put flowers into new planters, getting the boardwalk ready for prime time, installing umbrellas and new seating. The new seating is under construction, but here’s a sneak preview of what’s to come.

Stop by to support our volunteers on Saturday and get your eyes on all their work this week.

Through Glass Featured in UTC’s Institute of Contemporary Art

mary — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 20:36:18 +0000

Audrey McClure, Glass Farm resident, and Glass House Collective Advisory Council member, at the Institute of Contemporary Art’s “Home” exhibit, March 2021.

“Home” is the inaugural exhibit for the new Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, “highlighting art-making in our city that celebrates a sense of community and awareness to place.” Glass House Collective was honored to have the Through Glass suite of projects that we produced with our neighbors and multidisciplinary artists in 2020 curated into the very first show! The exhibit remains on view through March 19.

Glass House Collective’s executive director, Teal Thibaud, creative strategist, Erika Roberts, community liaison, Lynesha Lake, and advisory council member Audrey McClure, recently visited the exhibition on campus and were moved to see the multiple ways in which the faces, stories, and names involved in Through Glass so clearly and strongly represent the exhibit’s themes of community and place. We’re so proud to see this on display through art!

Glass House Collective’s Community Liason, Lynesha Lake (standing), and Creative Strategist, Erika Roberts, watch a preview of Through Glass on view at the Institute Of Contemporary Art at UTC. March 2021

Doing the work is one thing. Seeing your efforts presented, acknowledged, and put in a greater context is something we will always appreciate.

“Seeing neighbors’ faces represented at Home in a place that was “far away” was dope. GHC made history for an underserved and overlooked neighborhood. I knew it was not even a year ago but it felt like history and I know the people making it happen.” Lynesha said.

As an artist-driven placemaking organization, it makes us especially proud to have our collective work curated into a contemporary art institute’s 1st show alongside 11 other incredibly talented artists who use art as a language to connect to a place.

“It is amazing! We work with artists to better our communities and when THAT is shown as art it is something to take seriously,” GHC Creative Strategist, Erika Roberts said.

Check out Through Glass here.
Learn more about “Home” at ICA\UTC here.

1 Year later, East Chattanooga Meet n Eat Going Strong

mary — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 19:40:37 +0000

The monthly East Chattanooga Meet N Eat community zooms have become an inspiring and busy little virtual gathering space for making connections and seeing where we can all share resources to serve our communities.

The zooms are held on the first Wednesday of the month and open to anyone interested in contributing to or listening in on the conversations and community collaborations that are taking place every day all over East Chattanooga. Plan to attend the April meeting , just ask tara to send you the link tara@glasshousecollective.org.

Our most recent Eat N Meet was held on Wednesday, March 3 and a few highlights include:

Tory Worley with Hope For The Inner City let everyone know that the dental clinic was still going on and there will be four clinics in the month of March. Information and a printable application can be found on Hope’s website. The Mercy Relief program is also still open for those in need within the 37404 and 37406 zip codes only. With the growing season starting it was great to learn that Tory is partnering with UTC whose students have been helping tend the garden and ready it for vegetables that will be coming soon!

Pastor J gave a great update from The Village Church and let us know they are launching a new conversation series on Facebook Live called Village Talks, exploring personal and spiritual development with different members of the community. The first Village Talk will be 7 pm on Tuesday, March 9th featuring Wayne Brown with Empower.

Dr. Everlena Holmes also gave an update on the East Chattanooga Improvement (ECI) group who has been meeting regularly as they work to develop a strategic plan for the group.

This month we were all happy to welcome Andrew Cone, New City Fellowship’s Youth Pastor, to his first East Chattanooga Meet n Eat and were glad to hear how the church will be reaching out to meet their neighbors this year.

And so much more! Interested? Please sit in on the Zoom recording here, or enjoy audio only here. Better yet! Sign up to get the link to the next East Chattanooga Meet n Eat by emailing: tara@glasshousecollective.org

East Chattanooga is Bursting with Gratitude & Generosity!

mary — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 16:17:32 +0000

Once a month since the early weeks of the pandemic various East Chattanooga leadership and community voices gather via zoom for updates and support. Our most recent noontime “Meet & Eat” as we’ve come to call them, was no different. In fact, it seemed supercharged! East Chattanooga is definitely bursting with gratitude and generosity. Get involved with this passionate group of positive change-makers. Come to our next Meet n Eat on Wednesday, January 6 at 12pm. Just save the zoom meeting link to your calendar or send us a message and we’ll send it via email tara@glasshousecollective.org.

Meanwhile, please check out these current community care projects and help donate and spread the word if you can!

City Farms Grower Coalition still has a few free backyards raised bed gardens for residents of Glass Farm to be installed at your homes. Follow the link or contact Joel at joel@wedigcityfarms.org.

Purpose Point Community Health Now Open

mary — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 22:13:59 +0000

Purpose Point Community Health Celebrates Grand Opening

New faith-based charitable health clinic ready to serve the community

Pastor Trenae Jordan and Commissioner Katherlyn Geter celebrated the grand opening of the new Purpose Point Community Health location on North Chamberlain Avenue in Glass Farm last weekend. The faith-based charitable health clinic has been their vision for more than a decade and we are so happy to see it come to life now in our neighborhood.

“Purpose Point Community Health Clinic will serve residents in East Chattanooga and Hamilton County by providing physical, mental, social, and spiritual care rooted in compassion and love,” they posted on their Facebook page after the ribbon-cutting which was attended by residents, partners, and Mayor Andy Berke. GHC’s operations manager was also there to congratulate celebrate our friend, neighbor, and partner, Pastor Jordon on his 16th Pastoral Anniversary which was on the same day!

So much to celebrate in Glass Farm and we’re happy to share these photos from the New Canaan Baptist Church!

In Case You Missed It: Check out the newest installment of Heard + Amplified, featuring Erika Roberts in conversation and reflection with Commissioner Geter.

Learn more about the vision for Purpose Point Community Health on the Scenic Roots interview on WUTC 88.1 NPR. Listen here.

Our Collective Covid Response

mary — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 15:50:29 +0000

When the world hands you a shutdown…

GHC responds to COVID with outreach that connects

Listening, learning, and responding is at the core of our work at Glass House Collective. Having moved in this way within Glass Farm for over seven years we were in a ready position to pivot some of our work in support of our neighbors during the COVID 19 shutdown.

“As an artist whose work reflects the time, working with an organization that does the same is synergy,” said Glass House Collective’s Creative Strategist, Erika Roberts. Erika has been at the center of our response to COVID and is at the heart of all our engagement work since joining our team in 2019. Erika said she knows how important it is for us to keep the community connected with other organizations for resources as COVID continues to change our world.

Using our proven engagement strategy of artist-driven and resident-led projects, we maximized ideas and opportunities and created new streams of collaboration.

Along with our team’s weekly “huddle” via zoom, we also initiated a bi-weekly zoom meet up with East Chattanooga nonprofits and partners. This has been an incredible space that may not have existed with such regularity and vulnerability if not for the pandemic. Each time we gather around our screens to connect during these lunchtime “Eat n Meets”, we are able to hear from other organizations and what they are doing and needing to serve the community. It has been an incredible space for collaborating and helping spread the word for resources like free WiFi in our pocket park, and other important info sources.

If you are interested in partnering up with us in East Chattanooga and want to join in our next Zoom Eat n Meet please email us and we’ll send you a link! info@glasshousecollective.org .

Erika, who is also a poet and creator of Velvet Poetry Productions, nourished us with a new written series that was a direct response to the shutdown. For 11 weeks we were proud to publish Erika’s Blog Takeover + Reflection, to the Collectively Speaking blog and pull inspiration from the words of this strong black creative leader each week.

“As a Black woman with a voice, I naturally want to be heard. In a world that doesn’t consistently listen to the voices of Black or Brown people, it is refreshing to be heard. The blog takeover and the extension of that into an upcoming new written series “Heard + Amplified” show that intentionality,” Erika said.

Check out the links to some of the other projects we’ve kept busy with the last 6 months.

Art Anywhere Kit Fundraiser for Hardy Elementary School!
The free downloadable How-To Guide we produced to share our social media fundraising strategy for the Art Anywhere Kit.
Through Glass documentary suite and Pandemic Portraits project
A very special Through Glass Meet The Team virtual event hosted by Glass Farm resident, Audrey McClure.
In the storm, we stand in solidarity with our community and issued our Where We Stand statement of support.

Through it all, we are learning so much but we know this: it is amazing what we can create together even at a distance for the greater good when aligned with passionate neighbors and partners. The pandemic has taught us all that it is more important than ever to meet people where they are in this new normal, and work collectively with compassion to hear, allow, and act!