Connelly Rice
Karin Connelly Rice

Stories by: Karin Connelly Rice

Karin Connelly Rice enjoys telling people's stories, whether it's a promising startup or a life's passion. Over the past 20 years she has reported on the local business community for publications such as Inside Business and Cleveland Magazine. She was editor of the Rocky River/Lakewood edition of In the Neighborhood and was a reporter and photographer for the Amherst News-Times. At Fresh Water she enjoys telling the stories of Clevelanders who are shaping and embracing the business and research climate in Cleveland.
Breaking down barriers: Smithsonian brings ‘The Bias Inside Us’ to Maltz Museum
The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage and Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio are partnering with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Partnership to host "The Bias Inside Us." Guests can explore the effects of bias and prejudice with interactive displays, educational programming, and community engagement opportunities.
Climate warriors: Sustainable Economies helps organizations share positive conservation stories
Sustainable Economies Consulting helps Northeast Ohio conservation organizations develop communications plans and strategies to share positive environmental impact stories. Founders Elizabeth Schuster and Marissa Ferrari work with park districts, museums, and land trusts to tell their stories of how they are quietly fighting climate change on thousands of acres of protected wetlands, forests, and prairies.
Piccolo Italian brings family tradition to Restaurant Week, Cleveland Independents marks 20 years
Piccolo Authentic Italian restaurant in Mayfield Heights is one of more than 30 local eateries participating in Cleveland Restaurant Week, March 2-14, offering $39 prix fixe menus. Piccolo's menu features family recipes passed down from owner Christopher Licht's Sicilian great-grandmother. The event coincides with the 20th anniversary of Cleveland Independents, which encourages diners to support locally-owned restaurants.
Someday, I suppose: Artist Jason Toth, Opus 216 founder, to debut ‘Smallest Concert in Cleveland’&am
Photographer Jason Toth is partnering with Opus 216 founder and violinist Ariel Clayton Karas to produce "The Smallest Concert in Cleveland," in Toth's 78th Street Studios space. With limied space, the March 6 event will feature improvised original music by Opus 216 ensemble members, The passion project is the realization of Toth's dream to create special musical experiences.
Cleveland Botanical Garden saddles up for an ‘Orchid Rodeo’
The Cleveland Botanical Garden's annual orchid show heads to the Wild West his year with "Orchid Rodeo," featuring more than 3,000 orchids throughout its glasshouse biomes. The exhibit challenges  fallacies about orchids' fragility while celebrating their resilience in harsh environments.
Accelerating ideas: Duo to pitch ‘Concrete Quilt’ to combat HIV crisis through public art
Two Cleveland advocates will pitch their project, "The Concrete Quilt," at the Cleveland Leadership Center's Accelerate Pitch competition on Feb. 26. The concept is for a public art installation at Edgewater Park that will honor those lost to AIDS and offer HIV/AIDS education and awareness.
One heart, forever connected: A 24-year bond forged from loss
Chuck Roberts had to make the difficult decision 24 years ago to donate his daughter Alicia's organs after her tragic death, just weeks before her 16th birthday. That decision saved the life of 15-year-old Candice Monroe, who needed a heart transplant. The families share their story to show how one person's tragedy can become another's miracle.
Teatro Público de Cleveland closes CPT's Test Flight series with ‘The Exit Door’
Cleveland Public Theatre concludes its annual Test Flight play development series with "The Exit Door," a new work by Nathalie Bermúdez presented by Teatro Público de Cleveland. The play explores migratory grief through the story of a woman trapped in an unnamed airport, blending realism and magical elements to reflect the emotional cost of migration.
From concept to stage: CPT’s Test Flight artists reflect on what works, prepare new stagings
Cleveland Public Theatre's Test Flight program allows local playwrights to develop new work in front of live audiences and gather real-time feedback. The program gives artists creative freedom and practical support. 2026 Test Flight features "Boxed," a dance theater piece by Elizabeth Pollert that uses movement and cardboard boxes to explore how people are labeled and confined by identity categories.
Summon the creatures: Kurent Jump unleashes weeklong Cleveland Kurentovanje festival
Cleveland Kurentovanje kicks off this Saturday, Feb. 7, with the Kurent Jump at the Slovenian National Home. The mythical Kurent creatures will be summoned from slumber to chase away winter and usher in spring. The Jump includes traditional Slovenian food, music, and a special lager from Collision Bend Brewing Company.
Art on the edge of form: ‘Surface and Structure’ exhibit redefines contemporary ceramics
Ceramic artists from Cleveland Institute of Art, Kent State University, and the University of Akron explore clay as a sculptural and architectural medium, rather than functional vessels in The Sculpture Center's new exhibit, "Surface and Structure: Contemporary Ceramics at the Edge of Form."
Art stares Mother Nature in the eye at moCa Cleveland exhibits that rethink environmental bonds
The Museum of Contemporary Art (moCa) Cleveland opens its new season this week with four exhibitions that explore humanity's relationship with the natural world through diverse artistic lenses. The exhibits resist simple narratives about environmental crises to offer various perspectives on trauma, responsibility, and repair of ecosystems.
Cleared for takeoff: Cleveland Public Theatre marks 10 years of Test Flight with six plays
Cleveland Public Theatre celebrates the 10th anniversary of its Test Flight series with six productions by local playwrights, choreographers, and directors over three weekends. Test Flight offers development of works-in-progress while showcasing diverse voices in CPT, Teatro Público de Cleveland, and Masrah Cleveland Al Arabi.
Trying on history: Silk Road Cultural Collective uses wearable armor to celebrate Asian heritage
The Silk Road Cultural Collective preserves the cultural heritage of the ancient trade routes spanning from Asia to Europe with interactive, hands-on experiences. Founded by Cleveland filmmaker Johnny K. Wu, the organization encourages participants to touch, wear, and experience historical artifacts while learning about the diverse cultures along the Silk Road from the 5th to 17th centuries.
Bright ideas: Pitching for change at Cleveland Leadership Center's 2026 Accelerate
The Cleveland Leadership Center's 12th annual Accelerate: Citizens Make Change pitch competition takes place on February 26 at the Huntington Convention Center, featuring 35 presenters pitching 26 innovative ideas.
A killer night at the History Center: WRHS pitches its latest murder mystery
The Western Reserve Historical Society is about to launch its latest murder mystery event, "Municipal Murder: The Final Pitch," set in the 1948 Cleveland baseball scene. Now in its third year, the immersive series has become a seasonal favorite, offering participants the chance to solve historically-rooted mysteries while learning about different eras of Cleveland's past.
Celebrating Dr. King's legacy: Museums pay homage with free admission, events on MLK Day
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day this Monday, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland Museum of Art, and CMA's Community Arts Center, will offer free admission and programming to celebrate Dr. King's legacy. The celebrations feature  activities ranging from planetarium shows and wildlife encounters to art-making workshops, live performances, and storytelling sessions. Several other University Circle institutions are also participating, with University Circle Inc. providing free CircleLink shuttle service to all locations.
Swap seeds for Spring: South Euclid, SWCD to host community event on National Seed Swap Day
South Euclid and the Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District will host their inaugural Seed Swap on National Seed Swap Day. Attendees can exchange seeds and learn winter sowing techniques while learning about native plants. The free event kicks off a series of spring and summer gardening workshops.
From prayer books to pendants: How Renaissance style influences modern fashion
The Cleveland Museum of Art's "Renaissance to Runway: The Enduring Italian Houses" exhibit explores the centuries-long relationship between Renaissance art and contemporary luxury fashion in legendary Italian houses like Bulgari, Buccellati, and Ferragamo. More than 100 pieces show how Renaissance aesthetics, religious symbolism, and regional craftsmanship continue to influence modern design. Additionally, CMA has free admission on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
‘The New Center,’ twice over: The past, present, and future of the Rose Building
Benjamin Rose built a thriving meatpacking empire in 1840 and, as business grew, commissioned architect George H. Smith to design the Rose Building—the city’s "New Center" in 1902. Upon his death, Rose's fortune established the Benjamin Rose Institute to support aging community members. The Rose building now begins a new chapter with Spark GHC’s "Project Scarlet," carrying forward Rose’s vision for a vibrant city center.