El Corazón de Holyoke

El Corazón de Holyoke rises with the people to bring back hope and activity as we begin to embrace new life post-pandemic. Local artists have created artworks that center the importance of cultural identity as our ancestral technology of survival and resilience through joy, connection to place, connection to community, and link to our ancestors. These are the things that keep us going, that bring us life in moments of hardship. “¡Arriba, corazones!”, as Ruth Fernandez would say. We are here, and we survive. Our stories carry us forward.

El Corazón de Holyoke se levanta con la gente para renovar la esperanza, generar energía y actividad mientras nos preparamos para salir de esta pandemia. Los artistas locales han creado obras de arte que centran la importancia de la identidad cultural como nuestra tecnología ancestral de supervivencia y resiliencia a través de la alegría, la conexión con el lugar, la conexión con la comunidad y el vínculo con nuestros antepasados. Estas son las cosas que nos mantienen en movimiento, que nos dan vida en momentos difíciles. “¡Arriba, corazones!”, como diría Ruth Fernandez. Estamos aquí y sobrevivimos. Nuestras historias nos llevan adelante. 

The Heart of Holyoke

As a creative placemaking project, El Corazón / The Heart of Holyoke, aims to develop spaces and places that that are reflective of the communities surrounding Main Street and promote economic opportunity. Through a series of culturally responsive public art projects and­­ installations the project’s goal is to:

  • Strengthen resident’s ongoing efforts to create safe, family-oriented community spaces that reflect their cultural heritage and improve perceptions of their neighborhood.
  • Encourage economic opportunities and optimism through specific streetscape and neighborhood improvements.
  • Create a greater sense of belonging and cultural pride for residents of Holyoke.
  • Support the City’s newly established Puerto Rican Cultural Area along Main Street between the I-391 underpass and Lyman Street.
  • Build on project funding already received through the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mass Cultural Council.
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