Our Story

Cleveland Print Room started as a community darkroom, gallery, and education center, responding to the exclusionary practices of mainstream photography. Founder Shari Wilkins created an organization whose mission is clearly focused on inclusion and expanding the discourse around the photographic image. With intentionality, CPR has remained true to that vision as Director Kerry Davis leads the organization into a new chapter.

“The Print Room was first and foremost created as a community darkroom and artist space. CPR was loosely modeled after Warhol's Factory in NYC. The Factory was the perfect, hip hangout spot for artists, musicians and visitors. Warhol gathered people and connected them with each other in service of creating art communally. The first five years of the Print Room saw a close-knit group of artists (including international AIRs bringing a different worldview to Cleveland) hanging out with each other. The concept of The Factory inspired me to create an atmosphere that I hoped would attract and connect several artists from all genres, interesting people, each who would contribute to and be affected by the art that was produced. In 2002, musician John Cale said, "It wasn't called the Factory for nothing. It was where the assembly line for the silkscreens happened. While one person was making a silkscreen, somebody else would be filming a screen test. Every day was something new." -Shari

In 2017, Davis joined in the work of the Print Room. Bringing a wide range of experiences along with a commitment to community-based arts endeavors, Kerry has been a purveyor of change for the organization. Davis is leading these relocation efforts.

inspiration: “I’ve had the great pleasure of knowing many inspiring and moving spaces. I have a strong sense that those spaces are reflections of those who live, work, play and make in them. I am so committed, to a fault even, to the creation of intentional-yet organic- surroundings. I would argue that the placement of a toilet dispenser impacts, significantly, the experience of the user. I think I’m probably most inspired by Diana Vreeland’s work as a practitioner. She was the longtime editor of Vogue magazine and a leader of the Met’s Costume Institute. An iconic creative with a self-identified love for “artifice”, Mrs.Vreeland is responsible for curating much of our understanding of the 20th Century as it relates to fashion, arts and culture. She said, ‘There is only one thing in life and that’s the continual renewal of inspiration.’ My hope is that we can abandon any limiting beliefs to collaboratively create that which is intentionally fun, fresh and edgy, stately and quietly elegant.”- Kerry

Today, Director Kerry Davis, reimagines CPR’s potential to create more spaces of inquiry, exploration, experimentation, and learning. To connect people with place, with one another, with ideas, and with art.

Continuing the work with dedication and rigor, CPR is creating a more place-based identity–to give CPR a more permanent home–a place where CPR can invest in that which can more deeply support the mission, vision, and values.