MLAB MISSION STATEMENT


The Mobile Literacy Arts Bus (MLAB) is an artist-run, renovated recreational vehicle that exists as a flexible space open to community members’ proposals for alternative educational and cultural programming.

MLAB is the collaborative effort of the 2007-2008 Social Sculpture class at Syracuse University, comprised of 10 art and architecture students and lead by artist and Director of Community Initiatives in the Visual Arts of Syracuse University, Marion Wilson. Our mission was to transform a used, 1984 Recreational Vehicle Bus into a Mobile Literacy and Arts Bus for use by the Syracuse City School District and the greater Syracuse Community. MLAB serves as a physical manifestation of Syracuse University’s Scholarship in Action initiative, by pairing University resources with community needs in an attempt to address the staggering drop out rates in the Syracuse City School District High Schools. Through the School of Education at Syracuse University, incredible curricula that bridge photography, poetry and literacy currently exist within the public schools-- however due to a crisis of space, the schools don't always have the space or resources to house it. MLAB is this space. The bus serves as a mobile classroom, digital photo lab, gallery space, and community center. As a team, we did it all: demolition, design, and construction.

MLAB is made possible from the generous support of the School of Education at Syracuse University and Entitiative.

Sunday, October 21, 2007


Just a suggestion about another place to start looking for salvaged/reclaimed lumber. The Building Materials Reuse Association (non-profit educational organization whose mission is to facilitate building deconstruction and the reuse/recycling of recovered building materials) has a directory on their website with a listing by state of companies that resell old building materials.
The listing for NY is quite lengthy with most sellers based in NYC, not upstate. But there are a few local companies listed. Note: not all the companies listed sell lumber, so we'd have to ask specifics over email or phone.
I haven't made any calls yet; since I know other people have been working on it. I just thought I'd post this in case our other sources for wood didn't work out.


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