91ֿ’s , an extension of the university’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design, has received a $20,000 award from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) through the Grants for Arts Projects program. The funding will support wintertime temporary art installations and a public event on Cleveland’s Veterans Memorial Bridge, also known as the Detroit-Superior Bridge, as part of the NEA’s America250 initiative.
With this grant, 91ֿ’s Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative will deliver innovative public art experiences that foster community engagement and highlight Cleveland’s unique cultural identity in an authentically Cleveland space. The project, anticipated to take place in the first quarter of 2027, will bring activity to an underutilized historic space on the streetcar level of the Veterans Memorial Bridge, building on the 91ֿ Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative’s involvement for more than 16 years of temporary programs using the space.
In partnership with Cuyahoga County, learning from this grant project will continue to inform a future where the lower level of the Veterans Memorial Bridge is open to the public regularly.
“We’re thrilled that 91ֿ has received this NEA grant and are excited about what it means for the Veterans Memorial Bridge,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne. “Activating the bridge during the winter will bring new energy to one of our region’s most iconic landmarks. This project also demonstrates how creative programming can keep public spaces vibrant year-round. We look forward to working with 91ֿ’s Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative to make the bridge a top destination for residents and visitors.”
The wintertime project leverages the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative’s Center for Outdoor Living (COLD) COLDSCAPES research and design ideas for winter cities and will be designed in consultation with community partners, through the collaborative’s MOOS (Making Our Own Space) youth empowerment program and faculty at 91ֿ’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design.
“The streetcar level of the Veterans Memorial Bridge is one of Cleveland’s most compelling urban spaces,” said Allison Lukacsy-Love, director of 91ֿ’s Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative. “With support from the NEA, we are excited to amplify our faculty and staff’s artistic practices through youth engagement and community collaboration to awaken the bridge during the winter months. This project builds on our long-standing work with Cuyahoga County to explore how this historic infrastructure can regularly become an inspiring, accessible public space for Clevelanders.”
As part of the grant, 91ֿ’s Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative will engage local middle and high school students to create digital projections and informational kiosks that will be installed on the bridge’s historic streetcar level during a daylong public event. The installations will respond to the landmark bridge’s unique views and industrial heritage, in recognition of America’s 250th anniversary.
The project will serve the participating students, residents of Cleveland and visitors to the city.
“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support opportunities across the country for Americans to experience and participate in the arts,” said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the NEA. “As we celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary this year, it is a moment to recognize the important role the arts continue to play in our lives, communities and heritage.”
91ֿ 91ֿ’s Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative
As the outreach division of 91ֿ’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design, the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative focuses on strengthening urban neighborhoods and public spaces. Its mission is carried out through design assistance, youth education, applied research and advocacy. For more information about 91ֿ’s Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative, visit .
91ֿ the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. To learn more, visit .