Arts Forward

“Creativity takes courage,” said painter Henri Matisse. It also takes financial support, welcoming spaces and useful tools. Be you poet or printmaker, go ahead and get artsy. We’re here for it.

SUPPORT
The community is behind you. In 2023, ArtsNow—the coordinating agency for arts and culture for Summit County— announced the launch of ArtsForward, a grant program to advance and implement the Akron/Summit Cultural Plan. The cultural plan, issued in 2020, outlines 10 specifi c priorities for advancing the arts in the area. Those include equity, placemaking and public art.

With support from numerous philanthropic partners, ArtsForward provides resources for artists and nonprofi ts in service to those priorities, which were identifi ed in 2019 with input from all corners of the community.

“Arts and culture play a crucial role in the growth and vibrancy of our Summit County communities, and we are thrilled to partner with and serve our region as stewards of these resources,” said Nicole Mullet, executive director of ArtsNow.

ArtsNow also engaged Summit Artspace to serve as a support and resource for Summit County artists interested in applying for the grants. It held sessions this spring to outline the application process for artists and nonprofi ts.

ArtsinStark represents more than 900 cultural organizations and artists in Stark County with the guiding belief the arts and culture create new jobs, smarter kids, and healthier communities. It operates the Cultural Center for the Arts, downtown Canton’s cultural centerpiece and home to four resident companies: the Canton Museum of Art, Players Guild Theatre, Canton Ballet, and Sing Stark.

Every three months, the Akron ArtWalk is held in the Historic Arts District on Friday nights. Community members are invited to enjoy food, music, art, and more. Each ArtWalk has a theme that engages visitors with the arts in new ways. ArtWalk is always free and open to the public.

The Akron Soul Train is a fellowship program for artists and allies. Fellowships are generally one month but can be longer. It provides space, funding and time for artists; in turn they share their work and process with the public.

Curated Storefront commissions the creation and installation of public art throughout Akron, making the city a dynamic destination for urban art while supporting artists. The mixed-media installations are accessible to all. Tours and live-stream events engage the public.

Art X Love is a creative agency responsible for much of the public art around Akron. Since its founding in 2015 by Mac and Allyse Love, the company has hired more than 300 artists for projects designed to build community and connection. Its @Play Project produced interactive art in 24 of the city’s neighborhoods with the input of 9,000 residents.

SPACE
Find a place to express yourself.

Summit Artspace is a community art center that brings together in one location some of the best local artists, arts organizations and educators. Its downtown studios are filled with quilters, potters, sculptors and more. It also operates two artist enclaves in Barberton.

The Artists of Rubber City is a visual arts nonprofit founded in 1978 to connect the community to contemporary art and to connect artists to each other. Its BOX Gallery is on the third floor of Summit Artspace.

East Ave Market and Gallery aims to diversify Akron’s art scene by showcasing not only visual artists but also local poets, dancers and musicians from all walks of life.

Outside the Box is a series of up-cycled shipping containers in Northside that have been transformed into mobile art galleries and performance spaces with eye-catching murals by artists from around the world. The inside of each shipping container is programmed with popup galleries, while the outside is set up to accommodate murals that can be changed out when new artwork is desired.

The Canton Arts District downtown is filled with more than 30 galleries and studios as well as restaurants, taverns and cafés. The First Friday party every month features live music and exhibitions. The district has a 69-acre Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area so visitors can stroll with drinks in hand. Take a tour of the city’s stunning public art—some football-related, some not.

The Bounce Innovation Hub is home to Avant Garden, a unique space where artists and makers produce and showcase experimental and innovative art. Application is by invitation.

The Art Bomb Brigade uses creative placemaking to invigorate Akron with murals in high-traffic, public spaces. They pick a corner of the city and “bomb” it with art with the help of community members.

TOOLS
Create what you imagine; we have what you need.

Here are just a few things you can borrow from the Akron-Summit County Public Library

• Cake pans
• Binoculars
• Original artworks (in conjunction with the Akron Art Museum)
• Hot Spots
• Double row tambourine
• 16 mm film projector
• Vinyl archiving turntable
• …oh, and books and DVDs

The Library also has a TechZone that has professional audio and video recording studios, design computers, 3-D printers, laser engraver, media transfer station, vinyl printer and a crafting/sewing area that even has a button maker.

The Bounce Innovation Hub’s Workshop has an artistic focus, available not just for makers, but all creatives. It is membership-based, offering workspace and stateof- the-art equipment such as 3D printers, laser cutters and photography equipment. It is ideal for Akron’s makers, crafters, artists and builders.

Akron Makerspace is a nonprofit coop that grew from two-car garage into a 10,000-square-foot space filled with equipment that ranges from artisan hand tools to industrial machines. Members get workspace and discounts on its classes and workshops.

CHAMP Makerspace in Canton is a nonprofit, community-based, collaborative workshop that allows members and guests to collaborate, share skills, and use the space in pursuit of creative projects. Tools range from 3-D printers and lathes to welders and routers.