Fair Grounds won a $600 grant at Stake #3, July 17, 2011
Describe the project a STAKE Grant would you accomplish:
Viking Mills, Little Berlin and Emerald St Urban Farm aim to create a community sculpture garden and project space complete with a berry patch, fruit trees and ornamental flower garden on a vacant lot in the neighborhood of East Kensington. In addition to transforming an unused lot into a beautiful place it will serve as a resource for community events, fleas markets and fresh produce. Most importantly it will be a positive space that will bring the neighborhood together through art and food! All of the produce will be 'pick your own' and any excess fruit will go to a local food cupboard. This project is also in line with Philadelphia’s vision for Green 2015 by transforming vacant land into active green space.
How will you use the grant toward the realization of your project? $750 is your imaginary budget (50 words):
The funds will go towards the supplies and tools needed to create the space such as lumber, soil, hydrant hardware, hose, gator bags, and woodchips. Emerald Farm will provide most of the plants, Viking Mill the property, Little Berlin maintenance and Donna Hirsch, a landscape design. The most need of financial support will be for soil, enough to cover 300 cubic yards.
A little about yourself and what led you to your current creative goals. This may include a previous project of yours, ways it both succeeded and failed (this can be entirely unrelated to your proposal) (100 words):
Emerald St Urban Farm was established in the spring of 2009 on the corner of Dauphin and Emerald in the neighborhood of East Kensington.
It is a community farm and garden that was built on 5 vacant lots to grow organic affordable produce for the neighborhood. We have completed 2 growing seasons and hold bi monthly 'pay what you can’ farm stands, host many music events, and workshops on sustainable living and nutrition.
ESUF hopes to directly connect people to the food they eat and the neighbors they share it with.
Little Berlin was formed in 2007 on the corner of Hope and Montgomery St. in Fishtown in an effort to provide a public platform for established and emerging artists and curators, dancers, performers, musicians and community organizers. Little Berlin began as a two-person team and has since grown into a collective of 10 members. The gallery is host to a collection of 200+ artist books and zines, has curated 35 exhibitions and successfully organized 100+ events. Members have instituted programs such as the Annual Bookfair, Open Web Workshops, and we have participated in the Trenton Avenue Arts Festival each year since its inception.
The Viking Mill is a former textile mill that has been transformed in to a building full of artist’s studios. The looms have been replaced with recording studios, movie studios, dress makers, photographers, painters, sculptors and furniture makers; each floor is home to a diverse group of artisans and the future home of Little Berlin.
Why is this project important? How will it benefit the community? (100 words):
This project is important because it creates a common space that can bridge cultural differences through art and food! It also turns a desolate lot into a productive and beautiful space that the neighborhood can enjoy and where local artists can exhibit their work! The collaborative efforts of Emerald St. Urban Farm, Little Berlin and the Viking Mill will contribute to the expansion of each organization’s mission by further building upon our relationship between Philadelphia’s active, creative community and the neighborhood around us. Emerald St. will be able to grow produce for the community in greater quantities, Little Berlin will continue to move outside of the gallery walls, and the Viking Mill will vastly improve upon a trashed and vacant lot. Primarily, the blueberry patch will enable us to provide fresh organic fruit for the neighborhood. It will also serve as a nexus between the many artists and organizers that serve the East Kensington neighborhood, where ideas can be conceived, shared and realized.
