COMMUNITY PROJECT

The We The Block initiative, a collaboration between artist Andre Parnell and Arts for Lawrence, is launching a deep investigative process on the Far Eastside. This effort is focused on community discovery and detailed story gathering from residents. The core objective is to transform the neighborhood into a living archive by meticulously documenting the personal narratives, historical accounts, and collective identity of the community. This journey aims to map the neighborhood's resilient spirit and identify the local figures who truly embody its unique character.

The project centers on structured oral history sessions and design workshops to capture the complexity of the Far Eastside. These sessions specifically explore the marriage of risk and resilience within the community's experiences. This systematic data gathering moves the initiative beyond simple artistic interpretation toward data-informed design, ensuring the final creative deliverables are authentic reflections of residents' aspirations. Arts for Lawrence acts as the central hub, providing the necessary space for residents to actively participate in co-creating their neighborhood's narrative.

The culmination of this project involves synthesizing the wealth of collected information into tangible, enduring outcomes. A key deliverable is the construction of a dedicated website, which will serve as a permanent, accessible digital archive for the Far Eastside's voice. Crucially, the gathered stories will immediately inform the sketching of initial proof-of-concept designs, such as artworks and installations. Ultimately, this effort seeks to forge deep community connections, turning captured history into a shared vision that inspires future creative and cultural development.