Neighborhood Voices Project to Bring Visual Arts to Englewood, Uptown and Old West End Neighborhoods

New Program Represents Partnership Between WGTE Public Media, Owens Community College, Old West End Association, Lincoln School Coalition, Toledo School for the Arts

For decades, WGTE has been dedicated to telling the stories of the people and institutions that make this region exceptional. A new initiative, Neighborhood Voices, adds a new dimension to that commitment by installing digital multimedia installations in three Toledo neighborhoods and working with the residents of those neighborhoods to develop visual art content that speaks directly to their experiences. 

Neighborhood Voices is a partnership between WGTE and Owens Community College, along with three groups representing each participating neighborhood:

•    The Old West End Association, representing the Old West End and Cushing Utopia neighborhood
•    The Lincoln School Coalition, representing the Englewood neighborhood 
•    The Toledo School for the Arts, representing the Uptown neighborhood

The installations will showcase neighborhood talent, featuring art and stories created by residents, for residents. The result will be a community art space that is authentic to each neighborhood and a cultural hub for the people who live there. 

“What makes this project so exciting is that it is completely community-driven,” said Shane Potgieter, Content and Creative Services Officer at WGTE. “People who live in the neighborhoods will shape what gets seen, how it’s seen and where it lives. WGTE is only bringing the infrastructure to Neighborhood Voices — it is the people who live there who will provide the meaning.”

The digital installations and viewing spaces will become part of a living installation that transforms how people encounter creativity in their everyday spaces. To guide themes, ensure authentic representation and agree on content, the partnering organizations will establish three Neighborhood Content Committees consisting of artists and experts in Toledo history and culture, as well as representatives from the neighborhoods. In addition, WGTE and Owens Community College will deliver workshops that train residents in storytelling, media production and filming.

“Projects like Neighborhood Voices reflect the kind of applied learning that Owens Community College values,” said Dr. Michael Sander, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts at Owens Community College. “By working alongside WGTE and neighborhood partners, residents will have the opportunity to develop storytelling, media production, and creative skills while sharing the voices and experiences that define their communities. It’s an exciting way to connect learning, creativity, and community engagement.”

For the partnering organizations, Neighborhood Voices represents an opportunity to showcase the talents of residents in areas that are often underrepresented. “Every neighborhood in Toledo has its own culture and history,” said Dannie Hughes, Vice President of the Lincoln School Coalition and representative for the Englewood neighborhood. “The Neighborhood Voices project is unique in that the creativity flows from the people who live here. By giving people an opportunity to share their talent and their truth, we’re helping foster pride in our communities and increase access to the arts in ways that are truly meaningful.” Representing the other participating neighborhoods are Laure Hammond of the Old West End Association and Juliette Quinlan of Toledo School for the Arts in Uptown Toledo.

Neighborhood Voices is funded by a grant from Greater Toledo Community Foundation and Stranahan Supporting Organization.