After Dark 2021: Creston
The seasons are changing. Days are getting shorter. Nights are getting longer.
To bring some picturesque brightness to the upcoming cold and cloudy winter months of Grand Rapids, we added a dozen new murals to our Creston neighborhood this past summer.
Our annual After Dark GR initiative has now installed 50+ murals throughout the city. This warm infusion of vibrant colors enlightens the public spaces of our community and highlights the creativity of our city's artists.
This year's artists participants:
Brittney Grant, Nikki Trim, Lisa Pavia, Angie Mattson, Kerry Rolewicz, Emily Luyk, Stephanie Ellis, Joshua Bradley, Brandon Copeland, LRCFA Board Game, Kevin Wolfrom, and Nick Nortier
Supporting Innovation and Entrepreneurship
We concentrated our efforts this year on supporting our Creston neighborhood on the north side of Grand Rapids.
Through this After Dark program, artists living in the Creston zip code were connected with businesses on Plainfield Ave. to paint amazing murals.
Our mission at the Lions & Rabbits Center for the Arts is to foster social innovation and economic prosperity in our community by creating equitable access to opportunities for growth. By connecting artists with local businesses, we are not only aiding these artists in their professional development, but we are also activating public spaces and attracting more people and resources to the area.
We help these artists logistically, financially, and socially to make these murals a reality. We do this by providing paint supplies, equipment, safety gear, tools, and community support. This ensures an efficient and effective process for the artists and businesses, allowing them to focus on their relationships, building trust between each other, and growing our neighborhood.
Celebrating Together
On Saturday, September 11, 2021, we organized our yearly After Dark block party on the corner of Plainfield and Quimby.
All day long and into the night, visitors came to be entertained by live music, drinks, and games. Over 50 vendors set up their booths to share their art, crafts, services, informational resources, and more with the crowd. A paint-by-numbers fundraising mural at the Muffler Man gave everyone a chance to participate in the art-making process.
We designed this big event to playfully bring our community together. By doing so, we hope to not only celebrate what makes Creston special but also ignite a sense of pride and excitement about our unique neighborhood.
This event also kicked off our crowdfunding campaign through Patronicity. Donations given and drink tickets sold at this party and through the rest of the season contribute to fulfilling our mission in the upcoming year.
Creating a More Beautiful Community
We are doing all that we can to strengthen the fabric of our community. We do this by building relationships with each other and actively participating in our shared goals for a thriving city.
After Dark is just one way that the Lions & Rabbits is working to help Grand Rapids become a more inclusive, collaborative, creative, and vibrant city.
Creston is the neighborhood where our organization began and continues to live. It is our home, and we will do all that we can to make it great for everyone who lives here.
We hope you join us in our ongoing efforts to create a more beautiful community.
Go to https://www.afterdarkgr.com/ to learn more about this initiative.
