Playhouse Square
In the age of digital everything, self-published periodicals are enjoying a bit of a revival. Geared towards those who prefer the tactile sensation of thumbing through an honest-to-goodness magazine, these indie pubs are filling voids left by declining mainstream print.
NEOSA Tech Week brought 1,600 attendees to events around Cleveland last week, tripling its numbers since it first started three years ago. “It’s really inspiring to see the region recognizing the value and importance of the IT industry in Cleveland,” says NEOSA director Brad Nellis.
From the NASA International Space Apps Challenge, which had 34 local participants in a worldwide event of 9,000, to the much-anticipated Best of Tech Awards, to educational events and job fairs, Tech Week highlighted both the emerging technology companies and the more established and growing businesses in the region.
“We saw a lot of new companies we hadn’t seen before and that was kind of cool,” says Nellis. In particular he cites iOTOS as a standout winner in the new Best of Tech category Most Promising Startup. “These guys showed a high degree of promise. iOTOS holds the opportunity to be something big coming out of Northeast Ohio.”
UrbanCode, which announced Monday that it has been acquired by IBM, won Best Software Product. “UrbanCode really stands out in the market,” says Nellis. “It was cool that we give them an award on Thursday, and on Monday they announce they’ve been acquired. We’ve been following them for a couple of years and they’re a company that’s growing like wildfire. They’ll probably double in size again this year.”
Hyland Software won Tech Company of the Year, Vox Mobile won Best IT Services Company, and DecisionDesk won Best Emerging Company. Nellis points out that all of the finalists are impressive companies as well, having emerged out of 60 nominations in five categories. Six CIO of the Year were named in various categories by Crain’s Cleveland Business.
Source: Brad Nellis
Writer: Karin Connelly
From the NASA International Space Apps Challenge, which had 34 local participants in a worldwide event of 9,000, to the much-anticipated Best of Tech Awards, to educational events and job fairs, Tech Week highlighted both the emerging technology companies and the more established and growing businesses in the region.
“We saw a lot of new companies we hadn’t seen before and that was kind of cool,” says Nellis. In particular he cites iOTOS as a standout winner in the new Best of Tech category Most Promising Startup. “These guys showed a high degree of promise. iOTOS holds the opportunity to be something big coming out of Northeast Ohio.”
UrbanCode, which announced Monday that it has been acquired by IBM, won Best Software Product. “UrbanCode really stands out in the market,” says Nellis. “It was cool that we give them an award on Thursday, and on Monday they announce they’ve been acquired. We’ve been following them for a couple of years and they’re a company that’s growing like wildfire. They’ll probably double in size again this year.”
Hyland Software won Tech Company of the Year, Vox Mobile won Best IT Services Company, and DecisionDesk won Best Emerging Company. Nellis points out that all of the finalists are impressive companies as well, having emerged out of 60 nominations in five categories. Six CIO of the Year were named in various categories by Crain’s Cleveland Business.
Source: Brad Nellis
Writer: Karin Connelly
Ryan O’Donnell has created a way to add a personal touch to online gifting. The founder and CEO of Sociagram has created an online cloud-based platform to create customized personal video messages. O’Donnell recognized that people enjoy sending e-cards and adding other personal touches when they send online gifts.
O’Donnell started Let’s Gift It in 2011, an online group gifting site, but quickly recognized the market wasn’t there. “What we learned is we were in a startup graveyard,” he says. “There was low perceived value and a high level of complexity to integrate it.”
But the idea behind Let’s Gift It led to Sociagram in 2012. “Since 1996, the only option was printing out a gift message on a packing slip that gets sent out with the product,” explains O’Donnell. “We realized we need more than that. With Sociagram, grandma and grandpa live in another state, they can click a button and sing happy birthday to their grandson. Dad can then record the grandson opening their gift.”
Retailers can also incorporate Sociagram into their gift options. Sociagram clients include 1-800-Bakery, Ashland Addison Florist Company and Mak·a·boo Personalized Gifts.
Sociagram recently received a $250,000 investment from JumpStart to further develop its platform. “They’ve been great partners,” says O’Donnell. “They’ve helped us think it through.” O’Donnell just moved Sociagram’s offices to Cleveland from New York. “Cleveland has been a very receptive place for us,” he says. He’s currently working out of the FlashStarts offices.
The company currently employs two software developers and two marketing and sales people, as well as an intern. O’Donnell plans to hire an additional four people as the company grows.
Source: Ryan O’Donnell
Writer: Karin Connelly
O’Donnell started Let’s Gift It in 2011, an online group gifting site, but quickly recognized the market wasn’t there. “What we learned is we were in a startup graveyard,” he says. “There was low perceived value and a high level of complexity to integrate it.”
But the idea behind Let’s Gift It led to Sociagram in 2012. “Since 1996, the only option was printing out a gift message on a packing slip that gets sent out with the product,” explains O’Donnell. “We realized we need more than that. With Sociagram, grandma and grandpa live in another state, they can click a button and sing happy birthday to their grandson. Dad can then record the grandson opening their gift.”
Retailers can also incorporate Sociagram into their gift options. Sociagram clients include 1-800-Bakery, Ashland Addison Florist Company and Mak·a·boo Personalized Gifts.
Sociagram recently received a $250,000 investment from JumpStart to further develop its platform. “They’ve been great partners,” says O’Donnell. “They’ve helped us think it through.” O’Donnell just moved Sociagram’s offices to Cleveland from New York. “Cleveland has been a very receptive place for us,” he says. He’s currently working out of the FlashStarts offices.
The company currently employs two software developers and two marketing and sales people, as well as an intern. O’Donnell plans to hire an additional four people as the company grows.
Source: Ryan O’Donnell
Writer: Karin Connelly
playhouse square's multi-million dollar facelift gets attention
In an Associated Press story published on Vindy.com titled “Playhouse Square theater district in Cleveland to get $16M exterior upgrade,” editors write of the streetscape upgrade in the works for Cleveland’s famed PlayhouseSquare Theater District.
“The nonprofit PlayhouseSquare Foundation plans to spend $16 million over the next year to upgrade the district with bright signs, gateway arches and digital displays,” the article states.
The highlight of the proposal would be the installation of a 24-foot-tall glass and crystal chandelier over the district’s prime intersection. Other features would include gold-colored signage that span entrances to the district and architectural lighting that highlights details of the historic buildings.
Enjoy the full story here.
“The nonprofit PlayhouseSquare Foundation plans to spend $16 million over the next year to upgrade the district with bright signs, gateway arches and digital displays,” the article states.
The highlight of the proposal would be the installation of a 24-foot-tall glass and crystal chandelier over the district’s prime intersection. Other features would include gold-colored signage that span entrances to the district and architectural lighting that highlights details of the historic buildings.
Enjoy the full story here.
In the penthouse of the historic Palace Theatre, Charles Stack is hoping to foster a few new tech companies -- 10 to be exact -- in Cleveland’s newest business accelerator, FlashStarts.
Stack started FlashStarts in October 2012 and will hold his inaugural startup class this summer. “Come in with a half-baked idea and we finish baking it, slap some cash for equity, and start it in three months,” he explains.
Teams of two or more can apply to be one of the 10, but Stack is also looking for 10 interns and even potential entrepreneurs who don’t have an idea yet, but want to help build on somebody else’s idea. “Even if you don’t have teammates or an idea, you can apply and we’ll put you with a team and you will get equity with that team,” he says. “There are a lot of smart people out there who may not have a teammate.”
Stack is against the “cookie-cutter approach” to starting new businesses. Instead, he helps each company with their unique needs. “As soon as you apply, if we like the concept we begin the process of launching the company,” he says. Stack immediately gives the teams individual challenges, like researching the patents or market size.
“The key to making that business successful is getting the team familiar with us and us familiar with them,” Stack says. “It’s really not the same for every business. Different opportunities require different tools.”
Stack is raising $1.1 million to invest in the companies. Teams will receive up to a $20,000 investment -- $11,000 plus $3,000 for each team member. FlashStarts in turn gets eight percent equity in the company. Teams can potentially receive up to $200,000 in follow-on funding upon completion of the program.
Stack already has identified six potential candidate teams. He is accepting applications until May 10. Stack also is looking for mentors and advisors. FlashStarts has partnered with DecisionDesk to facilitate the application process and recently brought in Jennifer Neundorfer as managing partner.
Source: Charles Stack
Writer: Karin Connelly
Stack started FlashStarts in October 2012 and will hold his inaugural startup class this summer. “Come in with a half-baked idea and we finish baking it, slap some cash for equity, and start it in three months,” he explains.
Teams of two or more can apply to be one of the 10, but Stack is also looking for 10 interns and even potential entrepreneurs who don’t have an idea yet, but want to help build on somebody else’s idea. “Even if you don’t have teammates or an idea, you can apply and we’ll put you with a team and you will get equity with that team,” he says. “There are a lot of smart people out there who may not have a teammate.”
Stack is against the “cookie-cutter approach” to starting new businesses. Instead, he helps each company with their unique needs. “As soon as you apply, if we like the concept we begin the process of launching the company,” he says. Stack immediately gives the teams individual challenges, like researching the patents or market size.
“The key to making that business successful is getting the team familiar with us and us familiar with them,” Stack says. “It’s really not the same for every business. Different opportunities require different tools.”
Stack is raising $1.1 million to invest in the companies. Teams will receive up to a $20,000 investment -- $11,000 plus $3,000 for each team member. FlashStarts in turn gets eight percent equity in the company. Teams can potentially receive up to $200,000 in follow-on funding upon completion of the program.
Stack already has identified six potential candidate teams. He is accepting applications until May 10. Stack also is looking for mentors and advisors. FlashStarts has partnered with DecisionDesk to facilitate the application process and recently brought in Jennifer Neundorfer as managing partner.
Source: Charles Stack
Writer: Karin Connelly
rick steves enjoys visit to cleveland
In a Huffington Post blog post titled “Road Trip USA: Late-Night Drives Dodging Snowflakes in New England, and Cleavage in Cleveland,” Rick Steves shares of his experiences traveling on the final leg of his road trip visiting the likes of St. Louis, Vermont, New Hampshire, Boston, Chicago, and Cleveland.
“Enjoying Cleveland's impressive skyline on the taxi ride into town, I passed Progressive Field, where a banner trumpeted the good news for Indians fans: '18 days until the first game of the baseball season!'"
Steves goes on to talk about other gems of the city including the Horseshoe Casino and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
“Later, during autograph time, a woman made her plunging neckline a little deeper and asked for my John Hancock on her chest -- the highlight of my Sharpie's day.”
Stay classy Cleveland!
Read the full piece here.
“Enjoying Cleveland's impressive skyline on the taxi ride into town, I passed Progressive Field, where a banner trumpeted the good news for Indians fans: '18 days until the first game of the baseball season!'"
Steves goes on to talk about other gems of the city including the Horseshoe Casino and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
“Later, during autograph time, a woman made her plunging neckline a little deeper and asked for my John Hancock on her chest -- the highlight of my Sharpie's day.”
Stay classy Cleveland!
Read the full piece here.
PlayhouseSquare will soon add another delicious restaurant to the district, adding fuel to its quest to become a 24/7 neighborhood that encourages theater patrons to stick around long after the shows end. Entrepreneurs Jiyoung and John Sung will open Sung's House next month, adding a Korean and Japanese restaurant to the downtown scene.
"It's not traditional Korean food -- it's fusion style," says Jiyoung Sung, who moved from Michigan to be close to family. "We're also building a sushi bar."
John Sung worked as a sushi chef for 13 years before moving to Cleveland. The venue is a big leap for the couple. "We're happy and nervous at the same time. We're excited about having our own place, but it's kind of frightening, too."
The price range for lunch will be $8-10, while dinner items will be around $15, keeping the menu affordable for CSU students and downtown office workers.
"We think those who live, work and visit here will appreciate having yet another great choice of where to eat," says Cindi Szymanski of PlayhouseSquare, which owns the building. "The planned Korean and Japanese menu choices, including sushi, will bring a currently unrepresented style of cuisine to PlayhouseSquare."
Why did the couple choose PlayhouseSquare? "My uncle is a professor at CSU, and he knows the area very well," says Jiyoung Sung. "He recommended it to us."
The restaurant will be located at 1507 Euclid Avenue, in the former China Sea Express space. It is expected to open in May.
Source: Jiyoung Sung
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"It's not traditional Korean food -- it's fusion style," says Jiyoung Sung, who moved from Michigan to be close to family. "We're also building a sushi bar."
John Sung worked as a sushi chef for 13 years before moving to Cleveland. The venue is a big leap for the couple. "We're happy and nervous at the same time. We're excited about having our own place, but it's kind of frightening, too."
The price range for lunch will be $8-10, while dinner items will be around $15, keeping the menu affordable for CSU students and downtown office workers.
"We think those who live, work and visit here will appreciate having yet another great choice of where to eat," says Cindi Szymanski of PlayhouseSquare, which owns the building. "The planned Korean and Japanese menu choices, including sushi, will bring a currently unrepresented style of cuisine to PlayhouseSquare."
Why did the couple choose PlayhouseSquare? "My uncle is a professor at CSU, and he knows the area very well," says Jiyoung Sung. "He recommended it to us."
The restaurant will be located at 1507 Euclid Avenue, in the former China Sea Express space. It is expected to open in May.
Source: Jiyoung Sung
Writer: Lee Chilcote
For those who don't already know, Cleveland is a place where culture, education, creativity and innovation flourishes affordably. At least, that's the message city boosters are trying to sell to mobile young professionals. According to who you ask, that strategy is either working, working slowly, or not working well at all.
rta healthline among nation's best in rapid transit
In an Architect’s Newspaper blog post titled “Cleveland Leads U.S. Cities in Bus Rapid Transit,” Chris Bentley shares that Cleveland was the only American city to earn a “Silver Standard” ranking from the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy (ITDP). None made the “Gold Standard.”
Cleveland was praised for its HealthLine, which in turn has helped spawn billions of dollars in investment to the city’s economic centers.
“Cleveland’s HealthLine, formerly The Euclid Corridor, is a 9.2-mile transit corridor connecting Downtown, University Circle, and East Cleveland with 40 stops along the way. [The] hybrid articulated buses ferry passengers 24-7.”
Four American cities made the ITDP “Bronze Standard.”
Read the full post here.
Cleveland was praised for its HealthLine, which in turn has helped spawn billions of dollars in investment to the city’s economic centers.
“Cleveland’s HealthLine, formerly The Euclid Corridor, is a 9.2-mile transit corridor connecting Downtown, University Circle, and East Cleveland with 40 stops along the way. [The] hybrid articulated buses ferry passengers 24-7.”
Four American cities made the ITDP “Bronze Standard.”
Read the full post here.
During the mid-2000s, local newspapers ran stories with evocative phrases like "quiet crisis" and "brain drain" in lamenting the flight of young, talented minds from Cleveland.
Bob Yanega saw those negative headlines, too, and decided he wanted to do something about it. Yanega, a self-professed "serial entrepreneur" with a background in commercial construction and real estate, is the creator of Choosing Success Programs, a Cleveland-centric advocacy project aimed at area high school students.
The program provides live, in-school presentations showing students how to connect with the opportunities right in their own backyard. The goal is to motivate youth to become passionate, lifelong residents of Northeast Ohio.
"Many kids don't have parents who expose them to what's great here," says Yanega, of Larchmere. "We need to sell Cleveland to young people."
Yanega has been giving Choosing Success talks at local high schools for the last 18 months. Along with providing students with tips on college and career choices, he also mixes in a "sales pitch" about Cleveland, pointing to the city's affordability, increasing job rate and wealth of cultural options.
Choosing Success, under the umbrella of its parent organization The 1990 Project, recently received a boost as one of the winners of The Cleveland Colectivo's fast- pitch presentation event. The program now has a chance to get some much-needed funding from the giving circle, and Yanega believes his brainchild is worth it.
"We're presenting facts about the city," Yanega says. "Keeping the next generation in town is a powerful, broad-based message."
SOURCE: Bob Yanega
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Bob Yanega saw those negative headlines, too, and decided he wanted to do something about it. Yanega, a self-professed "serial entrepreneur" with a background in commercial construction and real estate, is the creator of Choosing Success Programs, a Cleveland-centric advocacy project aimed at area high school students.
The program provides live, in-school presentations showing students how to connect with the opportunities right in their own backyard. The goal is to motivate youth to become passionate, lifelong residents of Northeast Ohio.
"Many kids don't have parents who expose them to what's great here," says Yanega, of Larchmere. "We need to sell Cleveland to young people."
Yanega has been giving Choosing Success talks at local high schools for the last 18 months. Along with providing students with tips on college and career choices, he also mixes in a "sales pitch" about Cleveland, pointing to the city's affordability, increasing job rate and wealth of cultural options.
Choosing Success, under the umbrella of its parent organization The 1990 Project, recently received a boost as one of the winners of The Cleveland Colectivo's fast- pitch presentation event. The program now has a chance to get some much-needed funding from the giving circle, and Yanega believes his brainchild is worth it.
"We're presenting facts about the city," Yanega says. "Keeping the next generation in town is a powerful, broad-based message."
SOURCE: Bob Yanega
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
During a recent address at the City Club of Cleveland, Joel Ratner of Neighborhood Progress Inc. touted recent success stories that the nonprofit has invested in, including a new home for The Intergenerational School underway at the Saint Luke's campus.
Ratner believes that even though Cleveland has been hard hit by the foreclosure crisis, the city can stabilize its population and begin to grow again through promoting thoughtful, equitable, synergistic development that helps everyone succeed.
"For a long time, there was a debate over whether it makes sense to invest in people or place," said Ratner. "However, we believe it should be people and place."
Ratner cited Pittsburgh as an example of a city whose population has been right-sized and has even begun to grow again in recent years.
As examples of why community development matters, Ratner presented statistics showing that neighborhoods where NPI invested heavily over the past decade not only fell less steeply in the recession, but are also coming back more quickly than others. He also believes that every Cleveland neighborhood can be successful.
Ratner touted the recently-announced Slavic Village Reclaim Project, which leverages private investment by Safeco Properties and Forest City to help rehab 2,000+ properties on 440 acres, as one example of innovative best practices.
He also cited NPI's partnership with the Key Bank Financial Education Center to help low-income residents build wealth through savings and investment programs. Through a possible merger with Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition and LiveCleveland, Ratner hopes to begin serving additional neighborhoods.
Source: Joel Ratner
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Ratner believes that even though Cleveland has been hard hit by the foreclosure crisis, the city can stabilize its population and begin to grow again through promoting thoughtful, equitable, synergistic development that helps everyone succeed.
"For a long time, there was a debate over whether it makes sense to invest in people or place," said Ratner. "However, we believe it should be people and place."
Ratner cited Pittsburgh as an example of a city whose population has been right-sized and has even begun to grow again in recent years.
As examples of why community development matters, Ratner presented statistics showing that neighborhoods where NPI invested heavily over the past decade not only fell less steeply in the recession, but are also coming back more quickly than others. He also believes that every Cleveland neighborhood can be successful.
Ratner touted the recently-announced Slavic Village Reclaim Project, which leverages private investment by Safeco Properties and Forest City to help rehab 2,000+ properties on 440 acres, as one example of innovative best practices.
He also cited NPI's partnership with the Key Bank Financial Education Center to help low-income residents build wealth through savings and investment programs. Through a possible merger with Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition and LiveCleveland, Ratner hopes to begin serving additional neighborhoods.
Source: Joel Ratner
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Imagine having an online resource with the information needed to custom design your own career path. That’s what the UNCOMN.TV does. This project identifies what employers need in employees, what educators need to be teaching students, and what students need to be doing to snag jobs -- thus helping to turn brain drain into brain gain.
Cuyahoga County residents have picked which two large-scale projects will get funding through the Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) Creative Culture Grants competition.
* Dancing Wheels received $130,421 for a television documentary that will expand on the dance company's performance of the multi-media ballet, Dumbo. The film will explore issues of bullying and social injustice using the life stories of artists and community figures.
* LAND studio was awarded $150,000 to fund a multi-faceted light installation illuminating public spaces in downtown Cleveland.
Both projects were selected by 6,500 county residents in a public voting process held February 1-20. The winning arts programs, scheduled for completion in 2014, were chosen from a list of six finalists selected by an independent panel of arts and culture experts.
Officials from competition sponsor CAC were pleased by the voter turnout, and believe the winning projects will engage the region in creative ways.
"All six finalists had a different spin on how to connect arts and culture to the community," says CAC executive director Karen Gahl-Mills. "The two winners did a great job of reaching out to the general public."
CAC's pilot voting program revealed just how much creativity exists in the area, Gahl-Mills maintains. "It was delightful to see it come forward in new, exciting ways," she says.
The nonprofit is now assessing the program for possible future iterations. Gahl-Mills is not certain CAC will put on an annual public vote, but she can certainly envision county residents stuffing the ballot boxes for future arts projects.
"It's a great investment of public dollars," she says. "It isn't just the organizations that win; the community wins, too."
SOURCE: Karen Gahl-Mills
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
* Dancing Wheels received $130,421 for a television documentary that will expand on the dance company's performance of the multi-media ballet, Dumbo. The film will explore issues of bullying and social injustice using the life stories of artists and community figures.
* LAND studio was awarded $150,000 to fund a multi-faceted light installation illuminating public spaces in downtown Cleveland.
Both projects were selected by 6,500 county residents in a public voting process held February 1-20. The winning arts programs, scheduled for completion in 2014, were chosen from a list of six finalists selected by an independent panel of arts and culture experts.
Officials from competition sponsor CAC were pleased by the voter turnout, and believe the winning projects will engage the region in creative ways.
"All six finalists had a different spin on how to connect arts and culture to the community," says CAC executive director Karen Gahl-Mills. "The two winners did a great job of reaching out to the general public."
CAC's pilot voting program revealed just how much creativity exists in the area, Gahl-Mills maintains. "It was delightful to see it come forward in new, exciting ways," she says.
The nonprofit is now assessing the program for possible future iterations. Gahl-Mills is not certain CAC will put on an annual public vote, but she can certainly envision county residents stuffing the ballot boxes for future arts projects.
"It's a great investment of public dollars," she says. "It isn't just the organizations that win; the community wins, too."
SOURCE: Karen Gahl-Mills
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
wsj calls cleveland an 'overlooked entrepreneurial hub'
In a Wall Street Journal post titled “For U.S. Startups, ‘Times They-are-a-Changing,’” Steve Case, co-founder of AOL, shares his thoughts on entrepreneurship and trends that are changing nationwide, including Cleveland.
“I’m convinced that we’re beginning to see a regional 'rise of the rest' as cities like Washington D.C., Denver, Chicago, Atlanta, Raleigh, Cleveland, Detroit and many others experience unprecedented growth in startups. Silicon Valley will continue to be our nation’s most vibrant entrepreneurial hub, but a growing number of companies will start up in these often overlooked places.”
“America was built by risk-taking entrepreneurs who throughout history have turned dreams into new businesses, disrupted industries, created new ones and inspired the world.”
Check out the full piece here.
“I’m convinced that we’re beginning to see a regional 'rise of the rest' as cities like Washington D.C., Denver, Chicago, Atlanta, Raleigh, Cleveland, Detroit and many others experience unprecedented growth in startups. Silicon Valley will continue to be our nation’s most vibrant entrepreneurial hub, but a growing number of companies will start up in these often overlooked places.”
“America was built by risk-taking entrepreneurs who throughout history have turned dreams into new businesses, disrupted industries, created new ones and inspired the world.”
Check out the full piece here.
Back in 2011, Fresh Water ran a feature about Ohio's newly instituted Film Production Tax Credit, which helped attract big-budget productions like "The Avengers" and "Alex Cross," plus smaller films like "Take Shelter" and "Fun Size." We decided to revisit the topic to see how it's working out for Cleveland, and Ohio.
Northeast Ohio has a vibrant arts and culture ecosystem, so why not let its patrons be directly involved in growing that environment?
This was a question asked by nonprofit Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) when putting to a public vote which large-scale arts or culture projects will receive funding through the organization's new Creative Culture Grants program.
Starting February 1, voters will be able to pick two winning arts projects from a list of six finalists chosen by an independent panel of arts and culture experts. The project finalists, among them a multi-media ballet led by Dancing Wheels, a multi-faceted light installation from LAND studio, and a community-wide arts collaboration between Cleveland's East and West sides, were chosen based on their creativity and prospective ability to impact thousands of Cuyahoga County residents.
"We wanted something that would be a stretch for these groups; something they may not have tried otherwise," says CAC executive director Karen Gahl-Mills.
The winning projects will get up to $150,000 each through the nonprofit's grants program. County residents can vote in two ways: Online up until 11:59 p.m. EST on February 20 or by mail until 4:30 p.m. EST February 15. Paper ballots will be available for download or by calling 216-515-8303. CAC will announce the winning projects on February 25. The chosen projects will take place between March 2013 and August 2014.
Gahl-Mills views the vote as the public's opportunity to have a real say as to where community dollars are going.
"Any of the six projects can be terrific for the region," she says. "We want the community to help make that decision."
SOURCE: Karen Gahl-Mills
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
This was a question asked by nonprofit Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) when putting to a public vote which large-scale arts or culture projects will receive funding through the organization's new Creative Culture Grants program.
Starting February 1, voters will be able to pick two winning arts projects from a list of six finalists chosen by an independent panel of arts and culture experts. The project finalists, among them a multi-media ballet led by Dancing Wheels, a multi-faceted light installation from LAND studio, and a community-wide arts collaboration between Cleveland's East and West sides, were chosen based on their creativity and prospective ability to impact thousands of Cuyahoga County residents.
"We wanted something that would be a stretch for these groups; something they may not have tried otherwise," says CAC executive director Karen Gahl-Mills.
The winning projects will get up to $150,000 each through the nonprofit's grants program. County residents can vote in two ways: Online up until 11:59 p.m. EST on February 20 or by mail until 4:30 p.m. EST February 15. Paper ballots will be available for download or by calling 216-515-8303. CAC will announce the winning projects on February 25. The chosen projects will take place between March 2013 and August 2014.
Gahl-Mills views the vote as the public's opportunity to have a real say as to where community dollars are going.
"Any of the six projects can be terrific for the region," she says. "We want the community to help make that decision."
SOURCE: Karen Gahl-Mills
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Arts and culture can define a community, creating a critical mass that translates into jobs, business opportunities and, ideally, sustained economic prosperity. These were the words of Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium Initiative (NEOSCC) director Hunter Morrison during a January 25 roundtable hosted by the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture (CPAC).
These also are words that CPAC president and CEO Tom Schorgl likes to hear. The focus of the roundtable event was sustainability, and how the arts and culture community can assist the region as it evolves through population and land use shifts. The local arts sector becoming engaged in these issues can help keep Northeast Ohio resilient, vibrant and sustainable, said Morrison, a notion that the CPAC president shares.
"We have cultural clusters throughout the region, and the ability to communicate on a larger basis with the population about those clusters," says Schorgl. "We need to continue to reach our audience."
The roundtable, which drew over 50 attendees to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History's main gallery, was CPAC's first such event of the year. The nonprofit will sponsor similar forums through November, with an overall aim of connecting the arts and culture realm with professionals from sectors including community development and health and human services. Past roundtable speakers have included Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald, Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eric Gordon, and City of Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson.
"The idea is to provide a forum for new ideas around a common cause," Schorgl says.
SOURCE: Tom Schorgl
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
These also are words that CPAC president and CEO Tom Schorgl likes to hear. The focus of the roundtable event was sustainability, and how the arts and culture community can assist the region as it evolves through population and land use shifts. The local arts sector becoming engaged in these issues can help keep Northeast Ohio resilient, vibrant and sustainable, said Morrison, a notion that the CPAC president shares.
"We have cultural clusters throughout the region, and the ability to communicate on a larger basis with the population about those clusters," says Schorgl. "We need to continue to reach our audience."
The roundtable, which drew over 50 attendees to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History's main gallery, was CPAC's first such event of the year. The nonprofit will sponsor similar forums through November, with an overall aim of connecting the arts and culture realm with professionals from sectors including community development and health and human services. Past roundtable speakers have included Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald, Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eric Gordon, and City of Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson.
"The idea is to provide a forum for new ideas around a common cause," Schorgl says.
SOURCE: Tom Schorgl
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth