Cuyahoga Arts & Culture still eyeing November cigarette tax renewal
Source: ideastream
Date: February 15, 2024
Abstract:
A renewal and expansion of Cuyahoga County's cigarette tax for the arts could appear on this November's ballot - but its size and scope are still being determined. During its meeting Thursday, the Cuyahoga Arts & Culture board discussed the levy campaign with Jeff Rusnak, CEO of political strategy firm R Strategy Group. Last fall, he recommended placing the cigarette tax on this fall's ballot. Without any action, it would expire in 2027.
CAC receives its funding from the 30-cent-per-pack cigarette tax, and revenues have fallen by half since the tax’s inception in 2007. Board members have sparred at previous meetings over how and when to ask voters to renew and expand the tax. Rusnak recommended that CAC's role should be educational, with community outreach on how the arts can have a positive impact on education and mental health.
Bibb Administration Launches Transformative Arts Fund, Nearly $3 Million in Grants Now Available to Local Artists
Source: Clevelandohio.gov
Date: Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024
Abstract:
Between 6 to 12 Cleveland-Centric Projects Will Receive Awards Ranging from $250,000 to $500,000
Wednesday, January 31, 2024 — Cleveland — Mayor Justin M. Bibb announced nearly $3 million is now available for local artists through the City’s Transformative Arts Fund (TAF) grant program. The program will provide funding for projects and initiatives led by Cleveland-based artists. The application portal opened today and those who are interested have until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, March 30 to apply.
“Our local creative community provides the heartbeat that keeps our neighborhoods vibrant and alive – they inspire our children, bring difficult societal challenges to light, and empower us to take action,” said Mayor Bibb. “This transformative-level of funding we will be providing is designed to award artists who propose projects that will have a sustained, positive impact in the community long after they are completed.”
The TAF is dedicated to empower artists, creators, and communities to collaborate and create art that reflects the diversity and richness of Cleveland. Grant amounts will range from $250,000 to $500,000 – meaning that at least 6 and up to 12 projects will be awarded. The application must be completed by the lead artist(s), with a commitment from a partnering institution who will provide organizational support and administrative assistance for the project. As a Cleveland-centric program, the following criteria must be met in order to be eligible to receive an award:
· The lead artist must be 18+ years old and live in the City of Cleveland
· The partnering institution must be located in the City of Cleveland
· The proposed project must be based in the City of Cleveland
Artists across the various types of creative disciplines – painting, music, film, culinary, fashion, and others – are all encouraged to apply. Applicants can collaborate with any institutional partner – which could include community development corporations, social service agencies, nonprofits, schools, religious groups, or private businesses. Special consideration will be given to project proposals that amplify/address vacant land reutilization, the environment, food insecurity, violence prevention, safe spaces in the city, social determinants of health, and matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Applicants will be required to provide work samples, a detailed budget, an institutional partner letter of commitment, and other documentation when submitting the application.
“Arts is all about nurturing creativity, and innovation while providing entertainment outlets for people of all ages. As a child, I played instruments for hours after school. This sparked a creative fire in me and kept me out of trouble,” stated Councilman Kevin Conwell. The arts are a catalyst for innovation, pushing boundaries, and challenging the status quo. This is a big deal for Cleveland. It’s cool beans that we were able to get this up!”
Those who are interested in learning more about the eligibility requirements, necessary documentation, application process, and overall program can find additional information on the TAF webpage.
ARTIST FUNDING AND RESOURCES
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES FOR ARTISTS
Assembly for the Arts works to expand resources for artists in Greater Cleveland. From grants, fellowships, and awards, here are a variety of local, state, and national artist funding opportunities to help you grow and sustain your creative practice.
Additional Artist Resources
The following organizations offer resources that help artists write grant proposals, find opportunities, and apply for competitions, grants and residencies.
- ClevelandArtsEvents.com/Opportunities. A website jointly managed by Assembly for the Arts and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture for sharing and finding artist profiles, events, and opportunities for artists (grants, fellowships, jobs, calls for art, other).
- Opportunities for Visual Artists in Northeast Ohio. A comprehensive list of opportunities (art calls, funding, jobs, and spaces) for visual artists.
- Candid. A national organization with easy to find scholarships, fellowships, and awards for artists, students, and researchers.
- Creative Capital. A national organization, that offers educational support for artists on the topic of funding (view the Applying for Grants section).
- Springboard for the Arts. A national organization with grant seeking and writing resources. Individual consultations are also available.
- Artwork Archive | Guide to the Best Artist Grants and Opportunities in the Midwestern U.S. A list of top artist residencies, calls-for-entry, grants, competitions, and more to benefit artists in the Midwest.
- Request fiscal sponsorship: Leverage Assembly’s nonprofit status to apply for funding from corporations and foundations.
Artist Grant Programs
To view programs currently accepting applications, visit Cleveland Arts and Events.
SPACES Urgent Art Fund 12 artist awards to Cuyahoga County artists/collectives for the creation of “urgent art” that is socially, politically, and/or culturally responsive were awarded. $4,000 each were awarded to artists along with on-site art production facilities, mentorship and network opportunities, an artist–level SPACES ArtsPass membership, and an Assembly for the Arts membership. A Support for Artist program funded by Cuyahoga Arts & Culture and administered by Assembly for the Arts.
SPACES – Satellite Fund. Administered by SPACES and supported by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, this is a grant opportunity for established and emerging visual artists, cultural producers creative professionals, and any Cuyahoga County resident with a strong vision and demonstrated ability to complete the proposed project. Awardees will receive a cash award, a SPACES membership, and professional development opportunities.
Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist Awards – a variety of awards that recognize excellence, preserve cultural traditions, and offer developmental support. Award programs include Individual Excellence, Artists with Disabilities Access Program, Traditional Arts Apprenticeship, and Artist Opportunities (Professional Development and Project Support).
Spark Grants provide easy-to-access funds with a quick turnaround time to artists, arts & culture non-profits, and creative businesses in need of funding (up to $1,000) to pilot a public initiative or event that “sparks” from a conversation at a monthly Creative Meetup or from the Neighbor Up Arts & Culture Network Night Gatherings.
Assembly for the Arts – Creative Impact Fund. Applications open April 5 – May 31, 2024. The Creative Impact Fund is designed to encourage the growth of an artist’s creative practice. Open to individual Cuyahoga County-based artists of all creative expressions, 17 artists will be awarded $10,000 each, professional and business development opportunities, mentorship and networking opportunities, and an Assembly for the Arts membership. A Support for Artist program funded by Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
Assembly for the Arts – Rapid Action Grant. The Rapid Action Grant provides easy to access funds for Cuyahoga County-based artists. Artists and creatives may request up to $2,000 to support their arts-centered public projects, events or needs that are specific to their creative practice. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until $14,000 in funds have been distributed.
Community Revitalization Fellowship . Applications close Monday, April 8th, 2024. A learning opportunity to help cohorts of grassroots community leaders revitalize neighborhoods that are struggling with serious challenges related to vacancy, abandonment, and disinvestment.
The City of Cleveland Transformative Arts Fund. Applications close March 30, 2024. Opportunities for Cleveland artists in collaboration with a city-based institutional partner. 6 to 12 projects will receive $250,000 to $500,000 to create innovative, thought-provoking, and inclusive Cleveland-centric public art projects. Administered by Assembly for the Arts.
Dobama Theatre – Fostering Opportunity for Communities Underserved on the Stage (FOCUS). Applications close April 15, 2024. A mentorship and training program to direct paid professional opportunities for early career theater designers, technicians and stage manager from underserved and underrepresented communities including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, Disabled, Deaf, and neurodivergent theatre practitioners.
Karamu House – Room in the House Fellowship. Applications open in March and close May 3, 2024. The Room in the House Fellowship will award 5 visual artists and 5 performing artists with $5,000 in unrestricted funding, inclusion in a digital exhibition on Karamu’s website, participation in curated Karamu events that will feature artists in exhibition or performance, and access to shared workspaces. Artists may be in any phase of their career and align with Karamu’s vision of culturally and socially relevant work that celebrates the Black experience. No project is required. In partnership with Assembly for the Arts and supported in part by residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
Zygote Press – PROOF: Print Residency of Ohio’s Future. Applications close April 20, 2024. A 6-month fine art printmaking residency program for Northeast Ohio artists from historically underrepresented communities. PROOF offers non-printmaking artists from BIPOC communities the opportunity to learn a variety of printmaking techniques including silkscreen, monoprint, relief, intaglio, lithography and RISO.
Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center – Unidos por el Arte. Applications open March 1 – March 30, 2024. Unidos por el Arte is a project-based grant opportunity focused on uniting artists to celebrate the diversity of Cleveland’s Latino community. Ten artists will be awarded $5,000 to complete their project. Artists will have access to dedicated workspace and supplies. Their project will culminate in an art showcase as part of the Center’s Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration in September 2024. Artists of all disciplines are encouraged to apply. In partnership with Assembly for the Arts and supported in part by residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
Cleveland Public Theatre – Individual Artist Fund. Applications open March 1 – April 14, 2024. Provides 3 artists with $5,000 in unrestricted funds for actors, dancers, and designers who demonstrate artist excellence and innovation.
Cleveland Public Theatre – Premiere Fellowship. Applications open March 1 – April 14, 2024. Provides 4 artists with a $7,000 in unrestricted funds and $3,000 in support towards a project support by CPT. Also includes access to rehearsal and performance space, mentorship, networking opportunities, and additional support (production, marketing, and front of house management).
SPACES – Artists Forward Fund. Applications are currently closed. Supported by the Cleveland Foundation and administered by SPACES, this fund awards $2,000 in unrestricted funding to Cuyahoga County artists. Adapting a pay-it-forward structure, recipients of this microgrant are selected by past awardees letting local artists support local artists.
Opinion: Greater Cleveland must plan for sustainable public arts funding future: Jennifer Coleman
Source: Cleveland.com
Date: December 27, 2023
Abstract:
Cuyahoga County’s public funding for the arts has recently been featured in the local news cycle. Cuyahoga Arts and Culture (CAC), the agency responsible for disbursing funds collected from the countywide cigarette tax, is managing a 50% drop in revenues since the tax began to be collected in 2007. Local news articles have highlighted — among other things:
1) Issues surrounding CAC’s funding of individual artists.
2) Highly contentious CAC board meetings, and
3) Questions on the feasibility of a countywide levy campaign to increase the 30-cent-a-pack cigarette tax amid infighting among leaders in the arts community.
Want to join Cuyahoga Arts & Culture board? County is seeking applications
Source: ideastream
Date: January 8, 2024
Abstract:
Cuyahoga County is accepting applications for the board of Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. While recent meetings have been increasingly tense, the agency is still responsible for distributing public funding for the arts – more than $246 million since 2007.
The terms of two trustees, Charna Sherman and Karolyn Isenhart, will end March 31. As of Monday afternoon, Isenhart said she was planning to re-apply for another term. Sherman said she is not reapplying.
CLEVELAND-ELYRIA RANKED 12th AMONG 20 MOST ARTS-VIBRANT LARGE COMMUNITIES IN THE NATION
The 8th Annual Arts Vibrancy Index from SMU DataArts Compiles List of 40 Most Vibrant Arts Communities Across the U.S., Based on Measures of Per Capita Supply, Demand and Government Support for the Arts
CLEVELAND, OH, November 13, 2023 – SMU DataArts, the National Center for Arts Research, released its 8th Arts Vibrancy Index, which identifies Cleveland-Elyria as number 12 in the list of 20 large communities in the United States through an analysis of the level of supply, demand, and government support for the arts in more than 900 communities across the country. Organized into three separate lists based on community population size, totaling 40 communities across the country, this year’s Arts Vibrancy Index is the first to include numerical rankings since 2020, a reflection of arts organizations returning to in-person activities and performances following the easing of pandemic restrictions. Cleveland, along with neighboring Elyria, has consistently appeared on the Arts Vibrancy Index since its debut on the rankings in 2018.
This year, Cleveland is ranked 12th on the annual list of large communities in the nation -- the highest ranking it has ever achieved.
Related research by SMU DataArts shows that Local Arts Agencies (LAAs) like Assembly for the Arts and Cuyahoga Arts & Culture are powerful catalysts of arts vibrancy which ensure that the arts remain an integral part of community life. Fluctuations in a community’s ranking occur from year to year for a variety of reasons, including the opening of an arts district or closing of a performance space as well as local economic conditions.
Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) is the region’s largest funder for arts and culture. Since 2006, CAC has invested $230 million in over 470 organizations, including SMU Data Arts, to gather and share local nonprofit arts data through CAC’s grant application process.
“It’s important to have data to demonstrate the strength of Cuyahoga County’s creative community,” said Jill M. Paulsen, executive director of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. “Each year, CAC-funded organizations contribute information to SMU DataArts to help us tell the story of the sector’s impact and shine a light on their work.”
Jeremy V. Johnson, CEO and president of Assembly for the Arts, said, “Cleveland is now ranked 12th in the nation in terms of Arts Providers, Arts Dollars, and Government Support, joining the company of arts-heavy cities such as New York City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. The Arts Vibrancy Index demonstrates the arts’ enduring importance, resiliency, and vibrancy in Greater Cleveland, which is why it’s essential to maintain public support for this important part of our economy.”
Arts-vibrant communities can be found in every region of the United States—a finding which arises from an objective analysis of the data, and not from selecting communities by hand to achieve geographic representation.
“The arts and culture sector was hit hard by the pandemic, and some organizations and communities are still recovering. The Index is an opportunity for communities to affirm and celebrate the individuals and organizations that are the sources of arts vibrancy in their region, whether that’s artists who have mastered a local craft tradition over generations, a cultural festival that families enjoy year after year, or a cherished historic theater, museum, or arts-education center. For organizations, funders, local citizens, and public officials, the Arts Vibrancy Index is a powerful resource that leverages data-driven evidence to illuminate how the arts contribute to an area’s economy and public life,” stated Dr. Zannie Voss, Director of SMU DataArts. “One way that public leaders can spark arts vibrancy in their communities is by expanding funding for local arts agencies, which spurs arts employment, stimulates more artistic activity, and increases the strength of geographically dispersed arts-vibrant cultural resources throughout communities.”
The Lists
In addition to the top arts-vibrant communities listed in the Arts Vibrancy Index, arts-vibrancy scores for every county in the United States can be viewed on an interactive map that identifies arts and cultural strengths that are present in every community. (Also known as Metropolitan or Micropolitan Statistical Areas, these communities have boundaries that are defined by the United States Census Bureau.)
Large Communities (population: 1 million +)
On the list of the most arts-vibrant communities with populations of 1 million or more, one city is new to the list: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI. San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA, sits at the top of the list for the first time since 2018 and Philadelphia, PA, has moved into the top 5 for the first time ever. After debuting in the 20th spot in 2020, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, has skyrocketed to the 11th spot.
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA
- New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
- Boston, MA
- Philadelphia, PA
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
- Frederick-Gaithersburg-Rockville, MD
- Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA
- New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Cambridge-Newton-Framingham, MA
- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, WA
- Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
- Chicago-Naperville-Evanston, IL
- St. Louis, MO-IL
Medium Communities (population: 100,000 – 1 million)
Medium communities are home to populations ranging from 100,000 to 1 million people. Canton-Massillon, OH, is new to this list, while Santa Fe, NM; San Rafael, CA; and Pittsfield, MA, have appeared on the list of top medium communities every year since 2015. Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, are returning to this list following their 2022 debuts.
- Pittsfield, MA
- Santa Fe, NM
- Ithaca, NY
- San Rafael, CA
- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
- Boulder, CO
- Missoula, MT
- Canton-Massillon, OH
- Burlington-South Burlington, VT
- Ann Arbor, MI
Small Communities (population <100,000)
Small communities are defined as areas with populations under 100,000. Jackson, WY-ID, and Bennington, VT, have made the list of small communities every year since 2015, with Jackson maintaining its ranking as first among small communities for the past four years.
- Jackson, WY-ID
- Brevard, NC
- Steamboat Springs, CO
- Bennington, VT
- Easton, MD
- Glenwood Springs, CO
- Hailey, ID
- Juneau, AK
- Brookings, SD
- Oneonta, NY
The overall Arts Vibrancy Index is composed of 13 unique measures which cover aspects of supply, demand, and public support for arts and culture, and are adjusted for cost of living and population differences among communities. In this year’s index, the analysis approach was updated to weight the 13 inputs based on their relative explanatory power for the underlying concept of arts vibrancy. This approach improves measurement consistency in the face of data availability delays or other changes in individual datasets from year to year. All financial metrics have been adjusted for cost of living in order to level the playing field. The cost of doing business varies based on local conditions, so the same dollar goes further in some communities than others.
ABOUT ASSEMBLY FOR THE ARTS
Assembly for the Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a focus on advocacy, cultural policy, racial equity initiatives, research, marketing that elevates the region, and services for nonprofits, artists, and creative businesses. It is governed by a volunteer board with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. Assembly by design operates in close partnership with Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, a government agency, and Assembly for Action, a 501(c)4 political action nonprofit to serve the entire creative sector. Assembly is supported through major funding from: The Cleveland Foundation, The George Gund Foundation, The Char and Chuck Fowler Family Foundation, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, Ohio Arts Council, Huntington, KeyBank, The George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation, and Fred & Laura Ruth Bidwell. www.assemblycle.org
ABOUT CUYAHOGA ARTS & CULTURE
Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) is the region’s largest funder for arts and culture, helping hundreds of organizations in Cuyahoga County connect millions of people to cultural experiences each year. Since 2006, CAC has invested $230 million in over 470 organizations, making our community a more vibrant place to live, work and play. CAC is a separate government entity and a political subdivision of the State of Ohio. For more information, visit cacgrants.org.
ABOUT SMU DATAARTS
SMU DataArts, the National Center for Arts Research, is a project of the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University. The mission of SMU DataArts is to provide and engage both organizations and individuals with the evidence-based insights needed to collectively build strong, vibrant, and equitable arts communities. Its research efforts range from academic papers published in leading journals, applied research undertaken with community partners, and actionable insights shared directly with arts practitioners. Its programs provide business intelligence tools and resources to help arts leaders leverage data to answer critical management questions and connect research analyses to their own work. Recent publications include research reports on emergence from the COVID-19 crisis; the alchemy that drives high performing arts organizations of color; audience diversity, equity and inclusion in large performing arts organizations; impact of investments made in diverse creative communities; and more.
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Media Contacts:
Malissa Bodmann
216-536-7517
Mayor explains call for proposed Cleveland Heights Arts Commission
Source: Cleveland.com
Date: October 31, 2023
Abstract:
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — Coming off a well-received public hearing explaining the merits, City Council will revisit a proposal for creating an Arts Commission later in November.
They didn’t take action at Monday’s (Oct. 30) regular meeting due to an already full agenda.
This comes after various arts organizations voiced concerns over the legislation introduced back on Aug. 7 and referred to council’s Administrative Services Committee for further review — ultimately showing no plans for the city to supplant or compete with existing programming.
Two New Members Added to GCRTA Board of Trustees
Source: Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA)
Date: October 17, 2023
Abstract:
Cleveland, OH – The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) welcomed Deidre McPherson and Stephen Love as new members to their Board of Trustees during today’s Board meeting inside GCRTA’s Main Office Building at 1240 W. 6th Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44113.
Trustee McPherson was sworn into service on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, and Trustee Love was sworn into service before the start of today’s Board Meeting, by Anna Hlavacs, GCRTA Senior Counsel Contracts, Real Estate and Administrative Law in preparation for their first official call to service on October 17, 2023. Their appointments were made by Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne, with Trustee McPherson serving an unexpired term ending in March 2024, and Trustee Love serving a term ending in March 2026.
“GCRTA welcomes the appointments of Deidre McPherson and Stephen Love to our Board of Trustees. We agree that their professional expertise and dedication to arts and culture, and the environment will be beneficial as we continue to enhance public transportation’s impact on the social economics of our community,” said GCRTA General Manager and Chief Executive Officer India L. Birdsong Terry.
Meet Julia Rosa Sosa
Meet Julia Rosa Sosa
Julia Rosa Sosa is a performing artist and storyteller hailing from Ciudad Juarez and El Paso, Texas. Currently based in Cleveland, OH, she is a proud alumna of the University of Texas at El Paso, where she studied Theatre and Sociology.
Julia’s specialty lies in theatre, music, and storytelling. Through her work, she explores the magic of being ordinary and emphasizes how every individual has impactful stories to share. Growing up in a dangerous and unstable place, Julia endeavors to bring messages of hope to her audiences, even if her shows are heartbreaking at times.
In 2020, Julia received the Julia de Burgos Cultural Art Center and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture In-house Residency, which enabled her to produce the US premiere of Valentina y la Sombra del Diablo. This children’s play teaches kids about consent and sexual abuse disclosure. Additionally, Julia participated in the Cuyahoga Arts and Culture and the Center for Performance and Civic Practice Learning Lab in partnership with Esperanza, Inc. In this project, she worked with a group of Latin American students living in the United States, collecting and sharing their views on various topics, including lifestyle, education, family, identity, hobbies, passions, and what it’s like to live during a pandemic. This podcast also serves as a time capsule, reflecting the present and preserving it for future generations.
Julia has contributed her skills as a songwriter and vocalist to the development of two albums for the Lunatic music project. Furthermore, she has performed across the border and bi-nationally during the Maelstrom Collective Arts window activation in 2022.
In addition to performing, Julia has also worked as a freelance theatre director, having directed and assistant directed shows in Oregon, Colorado, Arkansas, Cleveland, New York City, and Ohio. Her play, El Toro y la Nina, premiered as a radio play at the ReUnion rEvolucion | a Latinx new works Fest in 2020.
Overall, Julia Rosa Sosa’s work as a performer and storyteller seeks to share impactful stories that leave a lasting impression on her audience. Whether it’s through theatre, music, or podcasting, she is dedicated to exploring the beauty of the ordinary and the resilience of the human spirit.
Creative Impact Fund Project: El Romantico
El Romantico is Julia Rosa’s first musical. Intended to be a bilingual piece in Spanish and English, delving into the disconnect between fathers and daughters during their teenage years and how many times the ones holding their relationship together are mothers.
The story is about a father and daughter’s relationship through music. The dad is a hardworking worker who plays his guitar at social gatherings and work. The daughter is in a new school, in a new city, in a new country. Little by little, their relationship becomes more distant. She starts to develop new interests, one of which is boys. Dad is not someone she can ask for advice about boys. Mom is the one to talk to about boys; she gives good advice. What happens to the good hobbies daughter used to have with her dad, like playing the guitar and singing?
Well, they are not enjoyable anymore because Dad only talks about how the music these days sucks (but daughter likes that kind of music, does that mean Dad hates the songs she has been making and uploading to YouTube?) Mom knows they need a relationship, so she sneaks a notebook into her daughter’s backpack. In this notebook, the daughter recognizes Dad’s handwriting. In the old crunchy notebook, there are the most beautiful songs about everything she relates to.
Julia’s father passed in 2021, and her creativity shut down. She wanted to create this piece with her father, but unfortunately, it did not happen. He was a songwriter who taught her so much about music. Stay tuned for performance dates.
Meet Linda Zolten Wood
Meet Linda Zolten Wood
Linda Zolten Wood brings arts and sustainability together to create solutions to environmental issues and raise awareness to practical solutions to our changing climate, while creating beauty in our communities. Rain barrels help keep pollution out of Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River, and give us free rain water for gardens, yard care and even car washes.
Cleveland Institute of Art graduate, LZW was inspired to make these ugly big plastic chunks more beautiful by applying her mural painting skills to improve their overall acceptance and wider use. She created The Collinwood Painted Rain Barrel Project in 2012. Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Neighborhood Connections, Community Partnership for Arts and Culture Grantee, Zolten Wood wanted Cleveland’s efforts of water conservation to be celebrated, as approximately 400 free barrels have been provided by Mayor Jackson for all of Cleveland neighborhoods for the last ten years, proving to be a popular program, but these barrels are eyesores. Her project will beautify them and encourage long-term usefulness for families who need gardens most.
Zolten Wood’s Upcycled Arts Workshops are influenced by travels in India, which practices a national ethic of ‘no waste’, where practically everything is repaired or reused in some way: Conservation as a daily practice and long-term culture. We benefit fro mending and recreating objects into new useful objects or artworks to beautify our spaces. Our landfills need to slow in growth, and we need to review our consumption habits. Upcycling is a useful tool for communities to tidy up and share with each other.
These project have been brought into schools, libraries, garden clubs and farmers markets for educational programs to help communities beautify their gardens and homes with painted barrels and repurposed artwork. Stormwater and Landfill reduction benefit our fresh waterways, wildlife and drinking water resources and art improves our quality of life. Her philosophy “Art For All” offers creativity to anyone who wants to try, regardless of economics or education: She has experienced the healing of the Arts in all areas of her life.
Creative Impact Fund Project: Sustainable Arts with Zolten Wood Design & Collinwood Painted Rain Barrel Project
Three projects/locations at Senior Centers and a Community Garden who are committed to improving the quality of life for their residents. The audience ranges from senior citizens attending social day classes and helping to nurture their bonds of community, to the Community Garden including families of all ages, encouraging hands on creative expression with Upcycled materials and beautifying their rain barrels so they are encouraged in more consistent use, which helps keep the Lake and River cleaner, and supplies them free water for their garden and yard use.
One Wall Mural for Rose Senior Center in East Cleveland, A series of Skylight Banners to enliven and brighten the space of an old building for a Collinwood Senior Center, and a rain barrel painting and upcycled arts series of workshops at a community garden in Old Brooklyn.
Through her collaboration in these impactful projects, Linda Zolten Wood actively contributes to the well-being and enrichment of senior centers and community gardens. Her dedication to nurturing community bonds, fostering creativity, and promoting sustainable practices demonstrates her unwavering commitment to improving the quality of life for all involved.