It’s been an interesting 20 years for us at CoolCleveland, as we have always suggested that the arts & culture of our region are what sets us apart. What makes us competitive. What makes our place livable. CoolCleveland editor Anastasia Pantsios points out in her COMMENTARY this week that we have a responsibility to overcome the dysfunction at Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, which is tasked with funding the arts in our county.The next generation of comics writers will find a lot to like at Kids Comic Con, including workshops, speakers, an artist’s alley, and a cosplay and trivia party, all geared for aspiring comics writers ages 8-18. One of our favorite bands, The Modern Electric, will play a postponed Christmas concert, their first show in a long while. Brilliant area artist Arabella Proffer has been turning her art into NFTs, and she’s here to offer a simple explanation of this new medium.
We say goodbye to the evocative Artcraft Building, home to so many artist studios and cool events, as resident organization Cleveland Print Room hosts a final Member Show and Open House before the building becomes Cleveland police headquarters. That’s usually how it goes in mature cities like ours — the people with money moved out a long time ago. Then along come the artists, who discover cool underutilized (and cheap) areas, then they are priced out in the name of progress… and the artists move on to the next awesome and affordable neighborhood. Just follow the artists and you can’t go wrong.
The local artist community has been buzzing about the dysfunction at Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, with board members publicly bickering at its last two meetings while a wide swath of artists feels slighted by a group founded to lift up creatives.
County executive Chris Ronayne has a chance to shift the mood with his tasked replacement of two board members whose terms expire this month. Let’s hope he names people with a deep understanding of the local arts infrastructure and the needs of artists as well as administrators.Read more.
Billy Bass is a legend. A popular DJ at WIXY-1260 who then helped launch progressive rock radio as DJ and program director at the fledgling WMMS, Billy (center with cap) is credited with breaking artists such as David Bowie nationally by playing their music non-stop in Cleveland. He even coined the phrase, “Cleveland: The Rock & Roll Capital of the World.”
Billy will guide you through the exhibits, sharing his personal behind-the-scenes stories, tidbits and anecdotes of some of the most fabled artists in the history of Rock & Roll. Schedule a 2-hour tour at your convenience. Read more.
Tri-C JazzFest just announced its ticketed concerts in various Playhouse Square theaters. But there’s as much fun and music at its two-day free outdoor festival, taking place in the streets of Playhouse Square June 23-24. It’s opened applications for area bands of all genres to play on the big outdoor stage. Read more.
Are you baffled by non-fungible tokens, or NFTs,digital images you “own” but don’t have rights to? It was hot news when one artist sold one for $69 million. Is there really such potential wealth out there for artists, or is it a scam? Or is the truth somewhere in between? Local artist Arabella Proffer will share what she’s learned at a forum at Artists Archives of the Western Reserve. Read more.
Is your teen curious about career options at a natural history museum? This one-day program is a unique opportunity for high school students to meet staff from various departments of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and learn about their jobs. This program will be offered on four Thursdays in spring 2023: March 23, March 30, April 6, and April 13.
Students will talk with scientists, educators, curators, wildlife specialists, archivists and others to hear about their work and the paths that led them to their current roles. We’ll round out the day with a behind-the-scenes look at some of the Museum spaces where our staff spend their time. Read more.
FRI 3/3 Find Art A highlight of this month’s Walk All Over Waterloo is new work by ceramicist Kristen Cliffel, her first show since pre-pandemic days.* DJ Red-I fuels CMA’s monthly MIX party.
SUN 3/5 Hip Hop Ascending Dee Jay Doc of the Refresh Collective introduces his new album and showcases local hip hop artists at a concert in the Waterloo Arts District.
TUE 3/7 Cleveland Launched Him Spanish pianist Manuel García García won the 2021 Cleveland International Piano Competition, a career jumpstarter. He’ll return to northeast Ohio to play at Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall.
