Arts + Culture

Artist uprising: Shaker Community Gallery debuts The Art of Dissent
From climate change to Charlottesville to immigration, no topic is off limits at the new Art of Dissent exhibit in Shaker Heights. Housed in the Shaker Community Gallery (inside the small rectory of Christ Episcopal Church) and curated by Leslye Arian, Art of Dissent features the work of four local artists concerned about the environment, human rights, and inequality.
Future so bright: Five public art projects brightening Cleveland's landscape
Fresh Water scoured the city in search of public art. It didn't take us long to find five new public art installments that add a little character and color to the skyline. Check them out here.
Author taps nostalgic memories and history in ‘Lost Cleveland’ book

As a third-generation Clevelander and a Plain Dealer arts and entertainment reporter, Laura DeMarco has heard her fair share of Cleveland stories that begin with “Remember when Cleveland used to be…”

In fact, most lifelong Clevelanders wax sentimental whenever places like Euclid Beach Park, Higbee’s, or Municipal Stadium come up in conversation. So much so, that DeMarco decided to write a book about these gone, and sometimes forgotten, places. Lost Cleveland will be celebrated at a book launch at Prosperity Social Club on Saturday, Sept. 16.

Read about the found places in DeMarco's book here.

Read all about it: Cleveland Book Week is in full swing
Paging all local book lovers—it's time for #CBW2017. A lively array of literary happenings forms the itinerary for the annual Cleveland Book Week, sponsored by the Cleveland Foundation and Partners.

Among the highlights: author talks by Peter Ho Davies (The Fortunes), Isabel Allende (The House of the Spirits), and Margot Lee Shetterly (Hidden Figures); an art book and zine fair at MOCA; a poetry, art, and music event at Karamu House; and the 82nd annual Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards at the State Theatre. This Saturday, the Cleveland Flea will also host a "#CBW2017 Edition" featuring a pop-up bookshop with rare books and first editions, plus a literary cafe where visitors can mingle with local authors.

In addition, those who use public transportation will be treated to some bookish fun on their commute this week. During the morning and evening rush periods, local artists performing poetry and spoken word pieces at RTA stations around town. (Locations include Airport, Cedar, E. 55th St., Little Italy, Shaker Square, Tower City, W. 25th St., W. 98th St. and Windermere.)

To learn more about the awesome literary lineup, click here.
Negative Space celebrates a new, larger arts oasis with its Saturday grand opening
Artists’ shows, open mic nights, jam sessions, and sketch nights: for the past six years, Negative Space has established itself as a non-profit creative oasis for artists, musicians, and community supporters at E. 39th Street and Superior Avenue in AsiaTown.

On Saturday, the studios and gallery will double down by moving into a warehouse space twice the size of its original home—and it just happens to be right next door at 3820 Superior Ave. At 4,000 square feet, the space is­ capable of housing even more art and entertainment.

Read more about the new Negative Space here.
13 reasons why Travelocity is "obsessed" with Cleveland
Record-breaking amounts of visitors have made their way to Cleveland in recent years, and Travelocity has taken notice—ticking off 13 reasons why it's "obsessed" with Cleveland. (Just 13? We've got at least seven more to add.) Usual suspects like Public Square, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame lead the list, along with tasty trips to the West Side Market and that oozing-with-charm popcorn shop in Chagrin Falls. See which other attractions made the list here.
 
Five things you don't know about...the Cleveland Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra is one of the world's premier orchestras, a purveyor of symphonic delights that's first on the lips of many a Clevelander when asked what they love most about the city. Fresh Water is here to provide five quick hits about everyone's favorite classical ensemble.

Get your facts straight here
That's a Wrap: Cleveland's 48-Hour Film Project
The 35+ short films produced during Cleveland's installment of the 48-Hour Film Project are in the can. Get a sneak preview of what happened during the "Lights, Camera, Action"-packed weekend.
The art of papermaking is alive and well at Morgan Conservatory
As Midtown’s papermaking studio turns 10 years old, the Morgan Conservatory perseveres in its ancient art practice.
Reward Expert ranks Cleveland 7th on its list of best staycation cities
Planning your next vacation? You may not have to travel beyond the city limits. Reward Expert has ranked Cleveland 7th on its list of “2017’s Best Cities for Staycations.” The reward travel website compared 100 of the largest cities in the U.S. based on 29 key metrics broken down into three categories: Recreation, Food & Entertainment, and Rest & Relaxation. Cleveland’s sports success and must-sees like PlayhouseSquare and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are cited, as well as Cleveland's “many public pools and its beaches alongside Lake Erie.” (And here's a fun fact: Cleveland has the most public pools per capita. Stay cool, Cleveland!)

Read the full write-up and see which other cities made the list here.
 
Over The River: Live music, a bridal show, a festive summertime race...
Welcome to "Over The River," a monthly calendar of exciting activities taking place throughout the area. ?Our July listing includes lakeside tunes, a wedding design extravaganza and a cancer-fighting festival. 

Read all about it here.
 
Summertime workshops spark a hot mess of creativity
Summer is the season for vacations, relaxation and general fun in the sun, or so the brochure tells us. The hot months don't have to be spent just lazing about, however, because Cleveland is positively smoking with educational summertime programs, and Fresh Water is burning things up with this enticing workshop roundup, with everything from creating mysterious accordion books and building video games to snapping out flash fiction.

Get the whole list here
Cleveland Institute of Art takes learning to the streets
Via the school's Engaged Practice programming, students interact with the real world through their arts — from protecting the fragile Cuyahoga to advocating for the homeless.
 
PHOTOS: soaring in the 216
Managing photographer Bob Perkoski offers up a tour of the city from a bird's eye view.
Thousands expected to flock to Mall B for summer concert 'Spectacular'
Now in its 28th year, the Star-Spangled Spectacular draws folks of all ages and backgrounds downtown. This year's event will be held on Friday, June 30., and includes free family workshops ahead of the fireworks and festivities.

Preview all of it here
Over The River: Summer cinema, a poetry slam, a sizzling street festival...
Welcome to "Over The River," a monthly calendar of exciting activities taking place throughout the area. Have a fun event you want to share with your fellow Clevelanders? Drop us an email.
 
Our June listing is packed with summer movie goodness, poetry and a little bit of yoga.

Get all the 411 here.
Just for fun: FootGolf at Cleveland Metroparks
For some people, golf is a slow-moving sport that's expensive to take up, is neck deep in boring etiquette, and requires at least one good pair of dress shorts. Fortunately, the Cleveland Metroparks has come to the rescue with a golf-like alternative where tank tops aren't frowned upon and you never have to worry about plucking the wrong club from your Callaway Odyssey bag.

What's a golf-challenged Clevelander to do? Why .... FootGolf of course! Read all about it here.
Neighborhood champions recognized with third annual Vibrant City Awards
Last month, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress (CNP) hosted its third annual Vibrant City Awards Lunch. More than 500 city leaders, stakeholders and community development professionals gathered at Cleveland's Edgewater Park to celebrate leading neighborhood revitalization efforts.

Click here to see who received the honors.