Press Release: Art @ the Y presents "I Have Something To Say," The Work of Marilynn Dean Cleveland

Self-taught Urbana artist Marilynn Dean Cleveland has a lot to say, and a lot to share with the world. From May 29 through August 24, 2014, the University YMCA presents, “I Have Something To Say,” the work of Marilynn Dean Cleveland curated by Art @ the Y, an initiative of the University YMCA. The paintings selected for this exhibition share her vision and experiences as a Black woman, with narratives centering on Black history, her own personal story, and her faith. 

The University YMCA will host an opening reception to the public on Thursday, May 29 at 5pm in the Y’s Murphy Gallery, 1001 South Wright Street, Champaign, Illinois. The opening reception is a good opportunity for the Champaign-Urbana community to learn more about the artist’s work and about making art with the public in mind.

Marilynn started making art as a young woman, using found materials such as house paint, cardboard and ashes to fulfill her profound need to create. Her prolific work includes paintings, multimedia collage, and an array of miniatures formed from and painted on sometimes surprising materials.  Her art illuminates the importance of overcoming differences through understanding, of the value of reflection in that process, and the significance of learning through stories. Her art is an undeniable expression of her personal determination and life-long hope for change.

Art at the Y is delighted to showcase the work of Marilynn Dean Cleveland as our 2014 summer exhibition, on view at the University YMCA through August 24. Art @ the Y is an initiative of the University YMCA. All Art at the Y events are free and open to the public.

Website: universityymca.org/art

Parking Nearby: Parking lot on 6th between Daniel & Chalmers - Free after 5pm. Parking garage on 6th & John - Free after 5pm. Street parking on Wright, Chalmers, & 6th Streets for 75¢ per hour. Municipal lot on Green & 5th Streets for $1 per hour.

Press Release: For Immediate Release

May 13, 2014

For media inquiries, contact: Ann Rasmus, Program Director

[217-337-1500, ann@universityymca.org]

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[Press Release] More Than A Shop: Campus Bike Center Fights for Sustainability

BikeFace, a program of the University YMCA, announces that if the Campus Bike Center does not raise $50,000 by June 30, 2014, the Center will have to cease programming and shut down operations. BikeFace, who serves the Center as an advocacy liaison, is seeking both private and public donors to build a solidarity fund to support the Center’s operations as they fight for a sustainable transportation culture on campus. On C-U Bike to Work Day, May 15th, BikeFace will be out at the U of I Engineering Plaza from 7am to 10am asking campus and community members to pledge their support of the Campus Bike Center.

C-U Bike to Work Day is not only a great way to promote biking as a viable commuting option; it’s also an opportunity for residents to show their support for improved bicycle facilities, says Florence Lin of BikeFace. Pledging to support the Campus Bike Center in any way possible, through service, advocacy or donations, means taking that critical step towards impacting overall public safety, reducing injuries and fatalities resulting from crashes.

Since opening in 2010 through a grant from the Student Sustainability Committee, the Campus Bike Center continues to build upon its mission of advocating for well-being of Champaign-Urbana through bike safety and affordable access.  However, the three-year seed funding ran out this year. Although capital expenditures are paid in full, the Center is not left with enough in the budget to pay a full time staff person as required by the University of Illinois to keep the doors open.

“The Campus Bike Center as a hands-on, educational space is the most visible component of this campus and community partnership,” says Matthew Malec, spokesperson of the Campus Bike Center Solidarity Fund. “However, the Center is also coordinating the implementation of necessary biking infrastructure to assure the safety and health of our communities.”

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was one of the first campuses in the nation to adopt a bikeway network when the first bike paths were constructed here in the 1950s. Since that time, while enrollment and staffing has doubled, funding cutbacks have led to degraded and disconnected pathways, outdated and insufficient bicycle parking, and limited support for bicycle services and programs. Despite these setbacks, bicycle ridership has grown at the University of Illinois in the last decade, and is expected to continue to grow in the future.

Press Release: For Immediate Release, May 13, 2014

For media inquiries, contact: Matthew Malec, Spokesperson
[217-298-1007, bauzerr@gmail.com]

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