Arts + Culture

land studio workshop highlights proliferation of public art
what it will take to bring millennials like me back home
Young people born in Cleveland in the 90s don't feel a sense of nostalgia for the city's heyday. Instead, they see an increasingly vibrant city as a place of opportunity, provided we stay on our current path.
7 craft food startups that are making it in the 216
Using the local food scene as a launch pad, craft food startups are growing quickly. We caught up with a fresh batch to learn the recipes behind their success.
four companies compete as finalists in cose's business pitch competition
The Shark Tank style competition, now in its second year, is designed to give new businesses financial assistance and expert advice to get off the ground.
the music settlement announces concerts at the bop stop
video: hundreds find new ideas for their cities at inaugural urban innovation exchange
In September, innovators from around the country convened in Detroit to exchange their ideas for building better cities and stronger communities. For three days, Detroit was transformed into a marketplace for ideas for cities.
the flats are back: five big and small projects reshaping the city's oldest neighborhood
After a decade of standing still, the Flats are on the move. Check out some of the newest developments changing this mixed-use neighborhood, from the Lake Link Trail to plans for a new boathouse on the Cuyahoga River.
the house is a-rockin': heights music hop is set for saturday
This Saturday, hop on over to the Heights Music Hop to check out a full lineup of bands in the Cedar-Lee District. There will be 30 bands playing at 16 different venues. Did we mention it's free?
13 ideas for your city from the first-ever Urban Innovation Exchange
Last week, a group of innovators behind small scale, place-based projects around the country convened in Detroit and talked about what works in their cities, sharing stories of success, failure, hard work and creativity.
q&a: ronn richard, president of the cleveland foundation
In this candid, wide-ranging interview, the leader of the Cleveland Foundation discusses its centennial gifts, the Greater University Circle Initiative, the Transformation Plan and more.
visit to cleveland 'lit my fire,' says starbucks co-founder
Zev Siegl came to Cleveland last week to speak to early-stage and student entrepreneurs at Bizdom and Blackstone Launchpad. Fresh Water gave him a tour and asked him about a lifetime of working with startups.
engage! cleveland launches weeklong series of yp-friendly events
Talent attraction/retention nonprofit Engage! Cleveland has officially kicked off a series of Cleveland-friendly social activities and professional development opportunities through its first annual Cleveland Young Professionals Week.

The weeklong succession of cost-free events aimed at the youthful and talented began Monday and will continue through Oct. 11, says Engage! Cleveland executive director Ashley Basile Oeken. Each day will feature a variety of around-the-clock happenings on both the East and West Side, including fitness classes at local studios, speaker-centric "lunch-and-learn" programs, and nightly networking get-togethers. That's 25 events over six days, if you're counting.

"You hear about other cities and how they've engaged young professionals," says Basile Oeken. "We wanted a signature event to put our name on."

Programming is generally aimed at people age 21 to 40, although the nonprofit is inclusive of anyone who considers themselves a YP. Events are filling up, notes Basile Oeken, so if you're interested in a spinning class at Harness Cycle or listening to a talk by PlayhouseSquare president Art Falco, it's best to act fast.

Basile Oeken views Engage! Cleveland's first-ever CLE YP Week as a chance to show off everything the city has to offer, whether to a lifelong resident or someone who moved here a month ago. Attracting and retaining young talent means linking it to influential leaders and local organizations, she believes.

"It's acclimating people to how much is going on in Cleveland," says Basile Oeken. "There's an opportunity to get everyone living in this community to support it collectively."

While programming will end with a closing party at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the nonprofit director expects the energy generated by a week's worth of events to resonate throughout the year.

"If you're involved, Cleveland can sell itself," Basile Oeken says. "People are more likely to stay when they're engaged."