Lincoln Street Art Park

Lincoln Street Art Park is a green program based on recycling and restoring, meant to inspire, bring joy and creativity.  It is known as the Ghetto Louvre.  Their montra is, "If you build it they will come, if they build it they will stay."  James Willer and Matt Naimi took a trashy area of land that wasn't serving much of a purpose and made it into an art park.  Lincoln Street is a small side street named after president Lincoln, that runs parallel to Trumbull Avenue and is used as a safe route by bicyclists.  This art and sculptor park is meant to brighten and enrich the way for these travelers.  The art in the art park is mainly created out of recyclable goods and is always changing and growing.  "New generations are attracted to the opportunities to explore and to learn from their predecessors, to build upon those experiences, and to create new ones."  This program is constantly inspiring people all around, not only through art and music, but also through words.  One example would be the quote the program shared, "It is always good to look back at the road traveled to see just how far you have really come."

Recently the program added an addition to Lincoln Street Park called Fischer Canyon.  This used to be a forgotten railroad alleyway but then was turned into vibrant street art.  During the Detroit Design Festival, Fischer Canyon was revealed, and it displayed work done by Lincoln Street Art Park, Blue Cross Blue Shield volunteers, and environmental education group, Green Living Science.  Fischer Canyon showcases paintings by local Detroit Artists and was named for its views of the Fischer Building.

I heard of Lincoln Street Art Park in the past, never knowing what it was.  I was happy to learn that it is another program, like the Heidleberg Project, working to restore Detroit and make it a better and safer place to live and learn.

I love the idea of taking something that was abandon or forgotten and repurposing it into something eye- catching.  This program is making Detroit a more vibrant place.  Before the transformation, the area that is now Lincoln Street Art Park and Fischer Canyon had few people passing by, but now there are always people there checking out the artwork, therefore making it a safer place to be.

Here is a link to a video about Lincoln Street Art Park.                                                         http://www.detroitnews.com/videonetwork/1281770008001/Lincoln-Street-Art-Park

                             
                                                                   Fischer Canyon