By Francesca Merwin, staff writer

There is a new kind of urbanism in Syracuse, according to Steve Klimek, an SU Engagement Fellow and co-director of The Front. He believes that in a transitioning city such as Syracuse, storefront redesign is the future of revitalization efforts. “Through creative art, storefronts help to improve the vacant real estate,” Klimek notes. “They create this sense of vitality and community in windows that might otherwise have been empty.”

One storefront that will no longer be unoccupied is that of the Media Unit, a new exhibition space for teens which exists in a well-traveled area of Montgomery Street. Taino Palermo of Outliers, Walt Shepperd of the Media Unit, and Gina Fortino of Movin100 came up with the idea to use this window as a gallery to display local student art. With Palermo’s connections to local teens, Sheppard’s space, and Fortino’s media savvy, the three were a dream team of assets. Through the hard work and dedication of these movers and shakers, the Breath of Fresh Air Gallery was born – adding a “breath of fresh air” to the student arts scene in Syracuse.  

“We were focusing in on how to address the needs of teens in the city through art, so we had this collaborative mind meld and came up with the idea to put the artwork in the window of the Media Unit,” Palermo remarks. “The pieces were there, and they came together perfectly,” Shepperd adds.

This sort of collaborative approach is crucial to successful storefront projects, Klimek comments. “So many people in Syracuse are working on projects like these, but the amazing thing is that they’re not always talking to each other,” he laments. “People in this city are more than willing to help out and make things happen once they are aware of a project.”

When Palermo used his resources to reach out to local schools, the results were terrific. “I didn’t even have to finish my sentence before they signed on,” Palermo enthuses about H.W. Smith Elementary School, which provided the inaugural art project featuring colorful paintings and drawings throughout the month of December. When the Frazer School took over the space in January, the window was filled with sculpture, ceramics and dioramas. This month, the window is another example of collaborative efforts: members of La Liga, Fanny Villarreal of ON CARE and former vice president of La Liga, and Artist in Residence for SALT Juan Cruz, identified and gathered artwork done by Latino youths for display.

Beyond that, the group is hopeful that more community organizations will get involved, and the project will continue to expand. “Once we go really public with this and start getting attention for it, there’s no telling where it will go,” says Palermo. “Syracuse itself is transitioning. It’s exciting that this project is a part of the revitalization of downtown.”

The Breath of Fresh Air Gallery is located at 327 Montgomery Street, just steps off the Connective Corridor, which includes a FREE bus service. For more information on the gallery or to submit artwork, please email Taino Palermo at bofagallery@iamanoutlier.org.