When art meets social cause, good things appear. That’s the sentiment behind Cuyahoga Arts & Culture’s Learning Lab program. It pairs local artists with nonprofit civic organizations that train them in civic, social, public, and place-making practices. In this way, works of art are created that help both the organizations and the clients they serve.

Join the Cleveland Seed Bank and Visit Arts Collective in the EcoVillage Garden to enjoy the fruits of the collaborative partnership. We will be debuting two new functional art pieces; a DIY Seed Separator and a Pollinator Planter Installation. Join us from 1-3 PM in the Ecovillage Garden at 1957 W 57th Street in Cleveland. There will be a bonfire, wonderful community and the first opportunity to use the Seed Separator. So bring some of your own seeds to process or just stop by to see the beautiful new Pollinator Installation Art Planter.

The arts funding agency worked with the national organization Center for Performance and Civic Practice to create and implement its own Learning Lab workshop series, and in November 2018 launched its first Learning Lab with 12 artists and 11 organizations. The matchmaking process let each group or artist make a list of their top choices before pairing them up.