Call for art!, 3 June 09

Corcoran Neighborhood offers cash prize for graffiti prevention ideas

Graffiti prevention goes mainstream in an alley near you

The Corcoran Neighborhood Organization is seeking simple, low-cost solutions to the well-known problem of noxious graffiti. Artists and others are invited to submit their ideas (guidelines here), and Corcoran residents will vote to pick the winners, and have the chance to install the winning designs on their garage or fence at no cost. All submissions will receive exposure at a reception and exhibition at Susan Hensel Gallery, and the winner(s) can earn up to $500 in prize money. The project is being funded by the City of Minneapolis, which seeks effective graffiti prevention ideas that can be used citywide. The new Corcoran project, and an initial meeting of local artists, were featured in a recent MinnPost article.

Corcoran residents are already wise about graffiti prevention, as over half of the neighborhood's alleys feature garages where simple landscaping, murals, or staggered fences effectively prevent graffiti. These low-cost solutions simply break up the blank "canvass" of a bare garage wall or a flat fence (learn more here). Simple trellis and climbing vine projects can be completed in a few hours for less than $100.

CNO's call for ideas, then, does not seek the most cutting edge art, but more simple solutions with mass appeal, especially for those property owners who don't have space to landscape, or who aren't interested in the bold statement of a colorful mural. Submit your idea by July 31 for a chance to win, and watch this newsletter for a chance to view and vote on the submissions starting in August. View the submission guidelines here.

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3-neighborhood garage sale deadline approaches

Friday, June 5 is the deadline to register your garage sale for the 3-neighborhood event to be held on Saturday, June 13. Learn more here. If you can't sell or give away your landfill-appropriate junk, set it out for Green Sweep on Saturday, June 20. Guidelines here.

Green Sweep seeks volunteers, junk for June 20 event

Volunteers are needed for Green Sweep, and will be rewarded with breakfast, lunch, first dibs on second-hand treasures, and a free trip to the dump! Please contact Eric at CNO if you're able to help out. More details here.

Group seeks volunteers who want to improve Cedar Ave

Join your county commissioner and two Minneapolis council members to discuss making Cedar Avenue safer and more appealing to residents and businesses. This meeting of the citizen group Cedar Avenue United will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3 at the Sibley Park Community Center, 1900 E 40th Street.

Corcoran News team seeks neighborhood news, volunteers

Get the unedited version of neighborhood news. Get the inside scoop. Each month a team of volunteers assembles to pick the stories that will appear in your neighborhood paper. Get involved by sharing an idea, writing a story, taking some photos, or helping with layout. The team meets again on Monday, June 8 at 6:30 p.m. at CNO. Everyone's welcome.

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Corcoran Neighborhood Organization | 3451 Cedar Ave S | Minneapolis MN 55407
Phone 612-724-7457 | Fax 612-721-7588