Asked to link their first encounter with community-based art to a person, most Clevelanders would come up with one name: Robin VanLear. The Cleveland Museum of Art's coordinator of community arts has led hundreds of adults and children into making art with their friends and families. She has shown them the connections between the art in the museum's galleries and what they can make at home. She has helped them to see art not only as relevant to today's world, but as something important in their lives.
Since 1990 VanLear has lured people to the arts with a yearly series of sparkling and exciting events at the Cleveland Museum of Art, such as the Chalk Festival, Circlefest and Parade the Circle. In addition, she produced the gala parade that opened Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and has worked with Cleveland Opera, Young Audiences and other groups to engage new audiences. In turn, these organizations and others have joined VanLear and her volunteers to create costumes, performances and artwork that have brightened the walls—and streets—of northeastern Ohio. In the process many a budding artist has discovered the joy of his or her own creativity.
Since 1990 VanLear has lured people to the arts with a yearly series of sparkling and exciting events at the Cleveland Museum of Art, such as the Chalk Festival, Circlefest and Parade the Circle. In addition, she produced the gala parade that opened Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and has worked with Cleveland Opera, Young Audiences and other groups to engage new audiences. In turn, these organizations and others have joined VanLear and her volunteers to create costumes, performances and artwork that have brightened the walls—and streets—of northeastern Ohio. In the process many a budding artist has discovered the joy of his or her own creativity.
