Station Hope 2017

A Beacon of Freedom. A Convening of Community. A Celebration of Hope.

April 29, 2017

6:30-10:00pm, St. John's in Ohio City & surrounding blocks - 2600 Church Ave. Cleveland, OH 44113

FREE AND OPEN TO ALL

Station Hope is a jubilant community event that celebrates Cleveland's social justice history and explores contemporary struggles for freedom and equity. Engage with over 250 artists as they envision, interrogate and seek out hope on the grounds of Cleveland's first authenticated Underground Railroad site, St. John's Episcopal Church. Audiences explore the historic properties while viewing works of theatre, music, storytelling and dance inspired by the most important issues of our time.

Station Hope 2017 sponsorships are available. See below for details.

See the photo gallery from Station Hope 2017.

2017 Station Hope Performers Include:

The 3 Winds Project, Acerbic, African American Quilt & Doll Guild, Molly Andrews-Hinders, Inda Blatch-Geib Designs, Bodwin Theatre Co., India Burton, The Choir of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Cleveland Association of Black Storytellers, Cleveland Public Theatre, Cleveland Public Theatre’s Brick City Theatre – Lakeview Terrace: Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, Eric Coble, Creative Concepts in Music, Kevin Cronin, Dike School of the Arts Drama Department, Djapo Cultural Arts Institute, Elu Dance Company, Eric M. C. Gonzalez, Christine Howey, Hue People Vocal Ensemble, Inlet Dance Theatre, Meredith L. King, Shenee King, Kings & Queens of Art, Robin Pease & Kulture Kids, Lake Erie Ink, The Lantern Theatre, The LanYe’ Performing Arts Ensemble, Literary Cleveland, Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, Ohio City Theatre Project, Page to Stage Productions, Ian Petroni, Restore Cleveland Hope, Inc., Adam Spells, John Stuehr, Tina D. Stump & Eric Schmiedl, Teatro Público de Cleveland, Teatro Travieso (Troublemaker Theatre), Theater Ninjas, Jaclyn Vogel, White Rabbit Studio, Carrie Williams and Kenya Woods

Station Hope 2017 Program

Click here or on the thumbnail above to view the Station Hope 2017 program.

WATCH THE STATION HOPE 2016 Video

Click here or on the thumbnail above to watch the Station Hope 2016 video.

“STATION HOPE IS A TRUE GATHERING OF COMMUNITY AND DEMONSTRATES HOW TRANSFORMATIVE
AND POWERFUL AN ARTS EXPERIENCE CAN BE, AND ITS POTENTIAL TO CHANGE THE FABRIC OF OUR SOCIETY.”

—Hon. Joe Cimperman, President of Global Cleveland

WKYC’s Feature on Station Hope 2017

To watch WKYC’s feature on Station Hope 2017, click here or on the thumbnail above.

WKYC’s PROMO for Station Hope 2017

Click here or on the thumbnail above to watch WKYC’s promo video for Station Hope 2017.

Joan Southgate & Raymond Bobgan on WKYC

Click here or on the thumbnail to the left to watch Joan Southgate and Raymond Bobgan share the history and importance of Station Hope on WKYC’s We The People.

“Hope was the Underground Railroad code name for Cleveland.” – Joan Southgate

“We reached out to the community and really co-created this incredible event that doesn’t just celebrate our history, but also talks about contemporary issues of social justice today.” – Raymond Bobgan, CPT Executive Artistic Director

ABOUT ST. JOHN’S CHURCH
St. John’s Episcopal Church was built beginning in 1836 and completed in 1838. As a church active in the Underground Railroad, St. John’s was a last stop for fleeing slaves seeking their freedom across the waters of Lake Erie, and the church’s steeple acted as a beacon of freedom. St. John’s is the oldest consecrated building in Cuyahoga County.

AN IMMERSIVE ARTS EXPERIENCE
Every year, over 2,000 people attend Station Hope, which features art and performances staged in and around one of the most historically significant sites in Greater Cleveland, St. John’s Episcopal Church, or—as it was known on the Underground Railroad—“Station Hope.” Audiences tour St. John’s sanctuary, parish hall and basement to view an array of short performances of dance, theatre, storytelling and music. Visual art displays and interactive art activities permeate the event while choral performances set the atmosphere of the outdoor spaces in and around the historic church.

Station Hope 2017 will feature both new and returning artists, tackling such contemporary topics as immigration, human trafficking, gun violence, income inequality, racism and gender discrimination—alongside historically-based original works that celebrate the people and stories comprising Northeast Ohio’s Underground Railroad history.

FREE PARKING AT STATION HOPE

Parking at Station Hope is free! Click here or on the thumbnail to the left to view the map of designated patron parking lots.

STATION HOPE 2017 Schedule

Click here or on the thumbnail to the left to view the performance schedule for Station Hope 2017.

Station Hope 2017 Map

To view the layout of Station Hope 2017, click here or on the thumbnail to the left.

Station Hope 2017 is presented in partnership with The Episcopal Diocese of Ohio & St. John’s Institute, Ward 3 Councilman Kerry McCormack, Ohio City Incorporated, Graham Veysey & Marika Shioiri-Clark, Restore Cleveland Hope, Inc. & the Cozad-Bates House and Global Cleveland with over 50 participating arts groups and 250 individual artists from the Northeast Ohio region.