On Granby Street, a window into public artwork

Mention Granby Street and talk of construction, light rail, restaurants and nightclubs often comes up.

A group of community organizations wants to add art to the list and are launching a project called “Art | Everywhere.”

The public art showcase, which opens Saturday, will display stationary works and living exhibits on and inside of vacant properties and other businesses along the downtown thoroughfare until the end of June.

Think San Francisco and Richmond, which have similar projects. Also think social ills. Some of the project’s exhibits will touch on issues such as homelessness.

“We thought about how crazy it was we could easily house art but we still can’t house all of our citizens here in Norfolk,” exhibit organizer Jay Ford said. “So we wanted to create something that you couldn’t avert your eyes from the way you can turn away or avoid a homeless person on the street.”

The project is a collaboration by AltDaily, the Downtown Norfolk Council, re:vision Norfolk and Grow Interactive.

More than 30 artists from Hampton Roads and beyond created canvas, graphic design and glass art as well as three-dimensional installations. The project will benefit ForKids, a nonprofit that helps homeless families, by giving the organization exposure and encouraging artists to donate pieces for the charity’s fundraising art auction.

Granby Street seemed like the perfect place for the exhibits, said Jesse Scaccia, editor of online news source AltDaily.

“Granby Street is old and beautiful,” he said. “But then you’ve got all these empty storefronts.”

Glass artist Avery Shaffer, who runs Studio 11 in Norfolk, created a piece with glass bowls called “Container” with fellow artist Peter Geiger, whose speciality is two- and three-dimensional work on corrugated board.

“These bowls are going to be contrasting his commercial, industrial pieces, which to me is a little bit like what Norfolk is: a beautiful sublime coastal region next to industrial commercial ports and military,” Shaffer said.

Their art will be on display at 403 B Granby St.

At 440 Granby St., volunteers will take shifts overnight from Fridays to Sundays to spotlight the issue of homelessness .

Bonnie Schule, retail recruiter and coordinator for the Downtown Norfolk Council, said the project has operated on a small budget, with most resources donated by artists and property owners. “It’s a really good way of making Granby Street and downtown a vibrant place,” Schule said. “What better way to do it than with art?”

The project might also bring in some business downtown, said Doug Aronson, vice president of S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. in Norfolk, who represents property owners at 345 Granby St. and 250 Granby St., the former site of Harry’s Famous Barbeque.

“The more eyeballs we can bring to the building, the more chances we have of leasing that building,” he said.

Cherise M. Newsome, (757) 446-2794, cherise.newsome@pilotonline.com