Arts + Culture
Shaker Heights perhaps is better known for its handsome residential districts than its commercial areas. However, a new pop-up event aims to highlight local businesses in the Van Aken District, invite a few new ones to participate, and offer a new kind of winter market where people can shop close to home.
Pop Up Shaker will bring a range of local food and craft purveyors into Juma Gallery and Lucy's Sweet Surrender for a two-week run beginning Saturday, November 30th and going through Sunday, December 15th. Upcycle St. Clair's innovative Shop the Window event will brighten the windows of the vacant storefront between them.
"The goal is to encourage residents and others to look at Shaker as a great place to do business," says Katharyne Starinsky, an Economic Development Specialist with the City of Shaker Heights. "Construction on the Van Aken streetscape is starting next year. We want people to think about how great the future of the area will be."
Cleveland Culinary Launch and Kitchen will turn Juma Cafe into a marketplace for tantalizing foods; Cleveland Craft Connection will host a handmade market and teach crafting classes at Lucy's; and Shop the Window will allow visitors to purchase upcycled crafts simply by scanning the QR code with their smartphones.
"You can immediately purchase the gifts right then and there, and then they'll be available for pickup at Upcycle St. Clair, or they can be shipped," says Starinsky.
So far, everyone loves the idea, which has never before been tried in the City of Shaker Heights. "People are excited to be able to shop in their own community."
Source: Katharyne Starinsky
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Pop Up Shaker will bring a range of local food and craft purveyors into Juma Gallery and Lucy's Sweet Surrender for a two-week run beginning Saturday, November 30th and going through Sunday, December 15th. Upcycle St. Clair's innovative Shop the Window event will brighten the windows of the vacant storefront between them.
"The goal is to encourage residents and others to look at Shaker as a great place to do business," says Katharyne Starinsky, an Economic Development Specialist with the City of Shaker Heights. "Construction on the Van Aken streetscape is starting next year. We want people to think about how great the future of the area will be."
Cleveland Culinary Launch and Kitchen will turn Juma Cafe into a marketplace for tantalizing foods; Cleveland Craft Connection will host a handmade market and teach crafting classes at Lucy's; and Shop the Window will allow visitors to purchase upcycled crafts simply by scanning the QR code with their smartphones.
"You can immediately purchase the gifts right then and there, and then they'll be available for pickup at Upcycle St. Clair, or they can be shipped," says Starinsky.
So far, everyone loves the idea, which has never before been tried in the City of Shaker Heights. "People are excited to be able to shop in their own community."
Source: Katharyne Starinsky
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The new kid on the block on historic Larchmere Boulevard sells everything from vintage longhorn antlers and Tory Burch sandals to designer jeans and mid-century modern Herman Miller chairs. That's just how Eclectic Eccentric rolls, which is a perfect fit for a street that is nothing if not both of those things.
Long considered the East Side's premier antiques district, the street still contains remnants of that, but now also houses a yarn shop, bookstore, soul food joint, bistro, barber shops, galleries and much more within a few short, walkable blocks. A new streetscape project, set to kick off next year, will make that walk even more pleasant when it wraps up in 2015.
Eclectic Eccentric owner Tracey Hilbert says that she got her start in retail at the tender age of 14, working in her father's drugstore. Last year, the Shaker Heights mom returned to her roots and opened a small store above Conservation Studios. Emboldened by its success, she pounced on a vacant storefront that became available earlier this year.
"I wanted the combination of a vintage store and new merchandise that's modern," she says. "People have always said I have a good eye, and I like the juxtaposition."
Hilbert, who is partnering with several other designers and clothing makers to turn Eclectic Eccentric into "more of a co-op space," says that she's tapping into a resurgence of interest in all things vintage and green. "There's a trend with people around the country taking what they like and incorporating a variety of different things into design," she states. "There aren't as many set rules any more."
Eclectic Eccentric is located at 13005 Larchmere Boulevard.
Source: Tracey Hilbert
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Long considered the East Side's premier antiques district, the street still contains remnants of that, but now also houses a yarn shop, bookstore, soul food joint, bistro, barber shops, galleries and much more within a few short, walkable blocks. A new streetscape project, set to kick off next year, will make that walk even more pleasant when it wraps up in 2015.
Eclectic Eccentric owner Tracey Hilbert says that she got her start in retail at the tender age of 14, working in her father's drugstore. Last year, the Shaker Heights mom returned to her roots and opened a small store above Conservation Studios. Emboldened by its success, she pounced on a vacant storefront that became available earlier this year.
"I wanted the combination of a vintage store and new merchandise that's modern," she says. "People have always said I have a good eye, and I like the juxtaposition."
Hilbert, who is partnering with several other designers and clothing makers to turn Eclectic Eccentric into "more of a co-op space," says that she's tapping into a resurgence of interest in all things vintage and green. "There's a trend with people around the country taking what they like and incorporating a variety of different things into design," she states. "There aren't as many set rules any more."
Eclectic Eccentric is located at 13005 Larchmere Boulevard.
Source: Tracey Hilbert
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When Sharie Renee opened Cosmic Bobbins on Shaker Square last November, she originally intended for it to be a temporary pop-up shop for the holidays that showcased her handbags made from recycled magazines and other items from local artisans.
A year later, Cosmic Bobbins not only is still going strong as a permanent Shaker Square presence, the store's owner has expanded its offerings and the number of artists it features from 10 to 20 and again to more than 30.
“I have been such a lover and supporter of the arts that many of the artists I carry in my shop are people that I admire and have become my friends over the years,” she says. “Other artists have started out as our customers.”
Renee carries a few fair trade, vintage and boutique items and has custom embroidery services. Business is going so well that Renee has hired two employees to help her run the shop. “We would love to hire more people,” says Renee.
Furthermore, Renee now offers private and semi-private sewing lessons, a fragrance blending class with Yates Apothecary owner Melissa Hale, and plans to offer classes on beauty care products when Renee launches her new spa line, Cosmic Bubbles. Renee is renovating the basement to have a larger workroom and classroom.
In the summer, Renee works with Youth Opportunities Unlimited to create mentorship and summer jobs for youth in the community. “This year, we worked with MyCom South Shaker to identify students in the area that had a particular interest in the creative arts and entrepreneurship,” explains Renee. "Some of the students wrote a community grant to further education in sewing and textile arts. We made it to the interview process, but have yet to hear about the grant.”
Source: Sharie Renee
Writer: Karin Connelly
A year later, Cosmic Bobbins not only is still going strong as a permanent Shaker Square presence, the store's owner has expanded its offerings and the number of artists it features from 10 to 20 and again to more than 30.
“I have been such a lover and supporter of the arts that many of the artists I carry in my shop are people that I admire and have become my friends over the years,” she says. “Other artists have started out as our customers.”
Renee carries a few fair trade, vintage and boutique items and has custom embroidery services. Business is going so well that Renee has hired two employees to help her run the shop. “We would love to hire more people,” says Renee.
Furthermore, Renee now offers private and semi-private sewing lessons, a fragrance blending class with Yates Apothecary owner Melissa Hale, and plans to offer classes on beauty care products when Renee launches her new spa line, Cosmic Bubbles. Renee is renovating the basement to have a larger workroom and classroom.
In the summer, Renee works with Youth Opportunities Unlimited to create mentorship and summer jobs for youth in the community. “This year, we worked with MyCom South Shaker to identify students in the area that had a particular interest in the creative arts and entrepreneurship,” explains Renee. "Some of the students wrote a community grant to further education in sewing and textile arts. We made it to the interview process, but have yet to hear about the grant.”
Source: Sharie Renee
Writer: Karin Connelly
If you were among the thousands of people who attended concerts this summer outside the Transformer Station in Ohio City, you have Thomas Welsh to thank. As director of the Cleveland Museum of Art's newly minted City Stages, the Philadelphia native is spicing up his new hometown with musical acts from around the globe.
Once ground zero for all things rock 'n' roll, Cleveland has steadily shed its reputation as King, and in the process squandered many of the economic benefits that go along with it. An effort by local advocates is attempting to change that by raising the industry’s profile and marketing it to a wider audience.
cleveland international piano competition tops in writer's book
In a Huffington Post article titled "Ranking Summer's Classical Music Competitions: Cleveland Comes Out on Top," writer Laurence Vittes says that among all of the summer classical music competitions he attended this year, the Cleveland International Piano Competition was the undisputed champion.
"Between the middle of June and the first week of August, I attended major classical music competitions in Montréal, Indianapolis, Fort Worth and Cleveland," writes Vittes. "In the end, it was two titanic performances in the concerto finals, with the participation of perhaps the country's greatest orchestra and hall combination, which separated the Cleveland International Piano Competition from the rest of the pack."
"Severance Hall, where George Szell once led another era's mighty Cleveland Orchestra, hosted the finals," he adds. "It's an awesome, iconic hall that during the Competition was like hearing the music being almost spontaneous combusted by a phalanx of young pianists who played Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Chopin and Beethoven relentlessly, with the occasional Bach or Liszt to sweeten up the pot."
"Best of all, the connection between conductor Stefan Sanderling, the contestants and the Cleveland Orchestra itself was brilliant, and most brilliant when first prize winner Stanislav Khristenko played the winning Brahms D Minor, and second prize winner Arseny Tarasevich-Nikolaev played Rachmaninov."
Read the rest of the score here.
"Between the middle of June and the first week of August, I attended major classical music competitions in Montréal, Indianapolis, Fort Worth and Cleveland," writes Vittes. "In the end, it was two titanic performances in the concerto finals, with the participation of perhaps the country's greatest orchestra and hall combination, which separated the Cleveland International Piano Competition from the rest of the pack."
"Severance Hall, where George Szell once led another era's mighty Cleveland Orchestra, hosted the finals," he adds. "It's an awesome, iconic hall that during the Competition was like hearing the music being almost spontaneous combusted by a phalanx of young pianists who played Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Chopin and Beethoven relentlessly, with the occasional Bach or Liszt to sweeten up the pot."
"Best of all, the connection between conductor Stefan Sanderling, the contestants and the Cleveland Orchestra itself was brilliant, and most brilliant when first prize winner Stanislav Khristenko played the winning Brahms D Minor, and second prize winner Arseny Tarasevich-Nikolaev played Rachmaninov."
Read the rest of the score here.
Once the province of sculptors, public art has evolved into an essential element of urban placemaking and social engagement. From murals on vacant buildings to art in laundromats to edible art installations that are as mouthwatering as they are aesthetically pleasing, we take a look at how public art is transforming our cities.
waterloo's krege grant in the news
In a Nonprofit Quarterly story titled “Innovative “Placemaking,” Kresge Grant Makes Use of Opportune Moment,” writer Eileen Cunniffe details how the Northeast Shores Development Corp. in Cleveland's Collinwood neighborhood has received a $1 million grant from the Kresge Foundation to support the Waterloo Arts and Entertainment District.
“Most of this grant will go toward permanent improvements: creating a ceramics co-op studio, further developing artists’ live-work spaces, and converting vacant spaces into homes for artists. But a portion of the grant will support temporary programming aimed at keeping the district open -- and lively -- during the construction phase.”
Cunniffe goes on to outline the mission of the Kresge Foundation’s Arts & Culture program and why they felt the Collinwood neighborhood was a worthy recipient.
Read the full story here.
“Most of this grant will go toward permanent improvements: creating a ceramics co-op studio, further developing artists’ live-work spaces, and converting vacant spaces into homes for artists. But a portion of the grant will support temporary programming aimed at keeping the district open -- and lively -- during the construction phase.”
Cunniffe goes on to outline the mission of the Kresge Foundation’s Arts & Culture program and why they felt the Collinwood neighborhood was a worthy recipient.
Read the full story here.
Earlier this year, Hotcards CEO John Gadd moved the local printing and marketing company's headquarters to the former Futon Factory at 2400 Superior Ave., expanding from 14,000 to 22,000 square feet and giving the company the opportunity to do a ground-up renovation of new offices.
"We were able to do it from scratch, the way that we wanted, in order to reflect the culture we're trying to build," says Gadd, who has injected new life into Hotcards since he bought the company a few years ago.
The new space features 15-foot ceilings, expansive windows and walls adorned with tons of Cleveland artwork. Eleven people work in the Cleveland office. The company also has offices in other parts of Ohio as well as a Columbus manufacturing facility.
Gadd says the company's growth can be attributed to its "customer-obsessed" culture, which "takes care of people we serve" with utmost attention to detail.
Now Gadd aims to make the company burn even hotter -- and seek some thrills and raise money for worthwhile charities in the process -- by setting 20 people ablaze along the banks of the Cuyahoga River in a Guinness World Records-setting attempt.
"It's a magical spectacle to watch -- people lit on fire look like an art display," he says. "Because we’re Cleveland, we'll turn a negative [burning river thing] into a positive. We'll also raise a bunch of money for charity and make some news."
Gadd has brought in stunt expert Ted Batchelor of Chagrin Falls to manage the event. He says it's so safe it almost takes the excitement out of it. The current record is 17 people set on fire at one time, a feat that Batchelor himself pulled off in 2009.
The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 19, at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, with spectators invited to watch from Shooters (tickets start at $15). The fire department and Coast Guard will be on hand in case of emergency. Local YouTube superstar Madi Lee will sing the national anthem before the big burn.
Gadd isn't sure how much money he'll raise for charity, since the event costs about $50,000 to produce. But any additional proceeds will go to the Cleveland Foodbank and Brick by Brick, a nonprofit group that builds schoolhouses in South Africa.
Source: John Gadd
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We were able to do it from scratch, the way that we wanted, in order to reflect the culture we're trying to build," says Gadd, who has injected new life into Hotcards since he bought the company a few years ago.
The new space features 15-foot ceilings, expansive windows and walls adorned with tons of Cleveland artwork. Eleven people work in the Cleveland office. The company also has offices in other parts of Ohio as well as a Columbus manufacturing facility.
Gadd says the company's growth can be attributed to its "customer-obsessed" culture, which "takes care of people we serve" with utmost attention to detail.
Now Gadd aims to make the company burn even hotter -- and seek some thrills and raise money for worthwhile charities in the process -- by setting 20 people ablaze along the banks of the Cuyahoga River in a Guinness World Records-setting attempt.
"It's a magical spectacle to watch -- people lit on fire look like an art display," he says. "Because we’re Cleveland, we'll turn a negative [burning river thing] into a positive. We'll also raise a bunch of money for charity and make some news."
Gadd has brought in stunt expert Ted Batchelor of Chagrin Falls to manage the event. He says it's so safe it almost takes the excitement out of it. The current record is 17 people set on fire at one time, a feat that Batchelor himself pulled off in 2009.
The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 19, at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, with spectators invited to watch from Shooters (tickets start at $15). The fire department and Coast Guard will be on hand in case of emergency. Local YouTube superstar Madi Lee will sing the national anthem before the big burn.
Gadd isn't sure how much money he'll raise for charity, since the event costs about $50,000 to produce. But any additional proceeds will go to the Cleveland Foodbank and Brick by Brick, a nonprofit group that builds schoolhouses in South Africa.
Source: John Gadd
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Michael Seifert and Jake Fader have had a lifelong love of music. Seifert grew up in his father’s recording studio on E. 61st Street. “It was all I wanted to do growing up,” Seifert says of hanging out in the studio. “Jake is the opposite," Seifert says. "He had more formal training.” Fader has studied guitar since he was 14 and has performed around the world in various bands.
Both have experience in commercial production work on local and national levels. So, as friends and musicians working in Cleveland, Fader and Seifert decided to go into business together. They launched Bite Sized Creative, a full-service creative firm that operates out of Seifert’s 11-year-old recording studio, Ante Up Audio, on E. 38th Street in Tyler Village.
“Jake and I have a good dynamic and a lot of respect for each other’s work,” says Seifert.
Bite Sized Creative opened in April, and already the startup has landed some impressive gigs. Locally, they've worked on accounts for Wade Oval Wednesdays and St. Vincent Charity Medical Center. Other clients include Target, Samsung and Microsoft.
They’ve also worked on soundtracks for movies. They produced more than 40 music cues for the documentary Running America. They produced more than a dozen original music pieces for the re-release of the classic movie The Outsiders.
Seifert describes Bite Sized Creative as taking a boutique approach to production work, providing custom music for soundtracks and other audio. “We have a very high quality product, not only locally but regionally, nationally and internationally,” Seifert says.
While Seifert and Fader are the only full-time employees at Bite Sized Creative, they do hire freelancers for bigger projects. “We’ve really been able to hire a lot of talent,” says Seifert. “We try to hire locally as much as possible. We both really love Cleveland and there’s a huge talent pool here.”
Source: Michael Seifert
Writer: Karin Connelly
Both have experience in commercial production work on local and national levels. So, as friends and musicians working in Cleveland, Fader and Seifert decided to go into business together. They launched Bite Sized Creative, a full-service creative firm that operates out of Seifert’s 11-year-old recording studio, Ante Up Audio, on E. 38th Street in Tyler Village.
“Jake and I have a good dynamic and a lot of respect for each other’s work,” says Seifert.
Bite Sized Creative opened in April, and already the startup has landed some impressive gigs. Locally, they've worked on accounts for Wade Oval Wednesdays and St. Vincent Charity Medical Center. Other clients include Target, Samsung and Microsoft.
They’ve also worked on soundtracks for movies. They produced more than 40 music cues for the documentary Running America. They produced more than a dozen original music pieces for the re-release of the classic movie The Outsiders.
Seifert describes Bite Sized Creative as taking a boutique approach to production work, providing custom music for soundtracks and other audio. “We have a very high quality product, not only locally but regionally, nationally and internationally,” Seifert says.
While Seifert and Fader are the only full-time employees at Bite Sized Creative, they do hire freelancers for bigger projects. “We’ve really been able to hire a lot of talent,” says Seifert. “We try to hire locally as much as possible. We both really love Cleveland and there’s a huge talent pool here.”
Source: Michael Seifert
Writer: Karin Connelly
cle orchestra declared 'world's favorite orchestra' in poll
Bachtrack, the largest online classical review site and concert finder, declared The Cleveland Orchestra as the winner of the "World’s Favourite Orchestra 2013" contest. Following a month of voting, with 11,895 votes for 417 orchestras from 97 countries, Cleveland Orchestra roundly beat the competition.
The Cleveland Orchestra took 20.3 percent of the vote, with the next closest orchestra garnering just 12.4 percent of the vote. 46 percent of the votes came from North America and 48 percent came from Europe.
“We want to thank our fans for voting for The Cleveland Orchestra," says Ross Binnie, Chief Marketing Officer of The Cleveland Orchestra. "We have 60,000 social media followers whom we invited to vote, and they clearly were engaged. We are proud to be one of the world’s finest orchestras, thanks to the support of all the communities we serve.”
Read the rest of the results here.
The Cleveland Orchestra took 20.3 percent of the vote, with the next closest orchestra garnering just 12.4 percent of the vote. 46 percent of the votes came from North America and 48 percent came from Europe.
“We want to thank our fans for voting for The Cleveland Orchestra," says Ross Binnie, Chief Marketing Officer of The Cleveland Orchestra. "We have 60,000 social media followers whom we invited to vote, and they clearly were engaged. We are proud to be one of the world’s finest orchestras, thanks to the support of all the communities we serve.”
Read the rest of the results here.
WMMS "The Buzzard" reached the largest radio audience in the history of Cleveland media. A new film hopes to document the glory years when a charmed roster of on-air talent introduced national rock acts like Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie and Joe Walsh to the people of Cleveland and the rest of the country.
As a graphic designer, Brian Andrew Jasinski wanted a creative outlet to express himself outside of his work at Epstein Design Partners. So he started Grey Cardigan, which features a whimsical collection of Jasinski’s fine art prints and stationery.
Grey Cardigan debuted in summer 2009 at the annual Made in the 216 event. “Grey Cardigan was my need to return to my roots as a fine artist and illustrator,” says Jasinski, who earned his BFA at the Cleveland Institute of Art. ”It’s been growing and evolving ever since.”
Jasinski chose the name Grey Cardigan because of the symbolism. “It’s classic and iconic,” he says. “You can adapt it to your style -- very much like my work.” Jasinski’s work is sold at shops around town like the Banyan Tree in Tremont, as well as other boutiques around the country.
At the end of August, Jasinski nominated himself for Martha Stewart’s American Made competition, in which companies competed in six categories: technology, design, garden, food, style and audience choice. The winner receives $10,000, a trip for two to New York City to attend the American Made workshop, and a spread on Marthastewart.com. Jasinski entered in the design category.
The winner was decided on voting through social media. “I had a very aggressive social media campaign -- Facebook, Instagram, Twitter -- and I had an incredible amount of support,” Jasinski says.
Grey Cardigan was named a finalist in the design category. While he did not win the grand prize, Jasinski is pleased with the outcome. “Just being recognized in the top six is an honor,” he says. “And the tech finalist and I are talking about a collaboration; that’s a nice unexpected connection to make.”
Source: Brian Andrew Jasinski
Writer: Karin Connelly
Grey Cardigan debuted in summer 2009 at the annual Made in the 216 event. “Grey Cardigan was my need to return to my roots as a fine artist and illustrator,” says Jasinski, who earned his BFA at the Cleveland Institute of Art. ”It’s been growing and evolving ever since.”
Jasinski chose the name Grey Cardigan because of the symbolism. “It’s classic and iconic,” he says. “You can adapt it to your style -- very much like my work.” Jasinski’s work is sold at shops around town like the Banyan Tree in Tremont, as well as other boutiques around the country.
At the end of August, Jasinski nominated himself for Martha Stewart’s American Made competition, in which companies competed in six categories: technology, design, garden, food, style and audience choice. The winner receives $10,000, a trip for two to New York City to attend the American Made workshop, and a spread on Marthastewart.com. Jasinski entered in the design category.
The winner was decided on voting through social media. “I had a very aggressive social media campaign -- Facebook, Instagram, Twitter -- and I had an incredible amount of support,” Jasinski says.
Grey Cardigan was named a finalist in the design category. While he did not win the grand prize, Jasinski is pleased with the outcome. “Just being recognized in the top six is an honor,” he says. “And the tech finalist and I are talking about a collaboration; that’s a nice unexpected connection to make.”
Source: Brian Andrew Jasinski
Writer: Karin Connelly
It's no easy feat to win unanimous approval from the City of Cleveland's Board of Zoning Appeals (BOZA) for a variance to open a new bar in Ohio City. With parking scarce in the densely built neighborhood, such a prized variance typically is required for opening any kind of new establishment.
Yet Jukebox, a new bar set to open in the Hingetown area of that neighborhood early next year, earned that approval from BOZA this week, and owner Alex Budin is set to begin the build-out process.
"I want people in Ohio City and Cleveland to embrace this as their jukebox for the city," says Budin, a 29-year-old who is in the process of relocating to Cleveland from Chicago.
Budin has purchased a 100-CD jukebox that he will fill with a mixture of rock and roll classics, music by artists who are coming through town, local artists, obscure picks and even crowd-sourced suggestions from social media and other sources.
The music selection will change frequently and the jukebox will be free or "pay what you like," akin to how Radiohead has released recent albums.
To ensure that tipsy patrons don't program six Michael Jackson songs in a row, Budin is planning to establish some tongue-in-cheek jukebox rules. He also will create a "juke-book" that will help familiarize patrons with less familiar artists, albums, and tracks.
"You're not going to see Katy Perry in the jukebox, but you'll see familiar artists," he says.
Aside from the music, the cozy 1,300-square-foot tavern will feature six to 10 draft beers (many of them local), cocktails, wine and a limited food menu that includes flatbread pizzas. Just don't say the phrase "sports bar." There will be TVs, he allows, but that's not going to be the focus.
"Ohio City has become such a vibrant place -- it's really a destination," Budin says. "As Hingetown evolves, my hope is this becomes more of a neighborhood spot for local residents. There are 200-plus new apartments set to open here. I'm hoping it's a walkable place, and that people can get their coffee at Rising Star in the morning, then grab a beer and light food at Jukebox in the evening."
Jukebox will be located in the Striebinger Block at the corner of W. 29th and Detroit.
Source: Alex Budin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Yet Jukebox, a new bar set to open in the Hingetown area of that neighborhood early next year, earned that approval from BOZA this week, and owner Alex Budin is set to begin the build-out process.
"I want people in Ohio City and Cleveland to embrace this as their jukebox for the city," says Budin, a 29-year-old who is in the process of relocating to Cleveland from Chicago.
Budin has purchased a 100-CD jukebox that he will fill with a mixture of rock and roll classics, music by artists who are coming through town, local artists, obscure picks and even crowd-sourced suggestions from social media and other sources.
The music selection will change frequently and the jukebox will be free or "pay what you like," akin to how Radiohead has released recent albums.
To ensure that tipsy patrons don't program six Michael Jackson songs in a row, Budin is planning to establish some tongue-in-cheek jukebox rules. He also will create a "juke-book" that will help familiarize patrons with less familiar artists, albums, and tracks.
"You're not going to see Katy Perry in the jukebox, but you'll see familiar artists," he says.
Aside from the music, the cozy 1,300-square-foot tavern will feature six to 10 draft beers (many of them local), cocktails, wine and a limited food menu that includes flatbread pizzas. Just don't say the phrase "sports bar." There will be TVs, he allows, but that's not going to be the focus.
"Ohio City has become such a vibrant place -- it's really a destination," Budin says. "As Hingetown evolves, my hope is this becomes more of a neighborhood spot for local residents. There are 200-plus new apartments set to open here. I'm hoping it's a walkable place, and that people can get their coffee at Rising Star in the morning, then grab a beer and light food at Jukebox in the evening."
Jukebox will be located in the Striebinger Block at the corner of W. 29th and Detroit.
Source: Alex Budin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
ny post explores the local scene, lauds city's 'revival'
In a New York Post feature titled “Cleveland is Seeing a Revival,” writer Jennifer Ceasar explores some of Cleveland’s attractions, which increasingly are garnering attention outside of Northeast Ohio.
“If you were an Ohioan back in the early ’80s, you might remember 'New York’s the Big Apple, but Cleveland’s a Plum,' an ad campaign to rebrand the failing Rust Belt town. Though it never stuck, today’s Cleveland is earning laurels for its homegrown talent, like Iron Chef Michael Symon, along with farm-to-table eateries, award-winning craft breweries and cool art spaces.”
Some of the writer's many stops included Ohio City, home of Flying Fig, Great Lakes Brewing Company and the Transformer Station, Tremont, which houses some of the city’s best eateries, and University Circle, where many of Cleveland’s top cultural attractions reside.
Check out the full piece here.
“If you were an Ohioan back in the early ’80s, you might remember 'New York’s the Big Apple, but Cleveland’s a Plum,' an ad campaign to rebrand the failing Rust Belt town. Though it never stuck, today’s Cleveland is earning laurels for its homegrown talent, like Iron Chef Michael Symon, along with farm-to-table eateries, award-winning craft breweries and cool art spaces.”
Some of the writer's many stops included Ohio City, home of Flying Fig, Great Lakes Brewing Company and the Transformer Station, Tremont, which houses some of the city’s best eateries, and University Circle, where many of Cleveland’s top cultural attractions reside.
Check out the full piece here.
huffpo praises efforts by cle orchestra to attract young audience
In a Huffington Post article titled "In Tune With the Next Generation," Jesse Rosen, president of the League of American Orchestras, praises the Cleveland Orchestra's efforts to be the band with the youngest audience.
"The Cleveland Orchestra, best known as one of the world's finest orchestras, with an equally outstanding hall and decades of extraordinary musical leadership, now has a new goal: to be the orchestra with the youngest audience. An audacious goal, but by the looks of the audience in Severance Hall last Friday night at the concert I heard, they are well on their way," he writes.
"The performance I heard in Cleveland was one of a three-concert set on their opening weekend. The uncompromising programs included works by Mahler, Beethoven and Schumann. Twenty seven percent of the audience at those three concerts were young people. You read that right, 27 percent. I am one year shy of enjoying senior discounts and I can tell you that concerts, like many things, are more fun with young people around. The vibe in the hall was fantastic."
Read the rest of the feature here.
"The Cleveland Orchestra, best known as one of the world's finest orchestras, with an equally outstanding hall and decades of extraordinary musical leadership, now has a new goal: to be the orchestra with the youngest audience. An audacious goal, but by the looks of the audience in Severance Hall last Friday night at the concert I heard, they are well on their way," he writes.
"The performance I heard in Cleveland was one of a three-concert set on their opening weekend. The uncompromising programs included works by Mahler, Beethoven and Schumann. Twenty seven percent of the audience at those three concerts were young people. You read that right, 27 percent. I am one year shy of enjoying senior discounts and I can tell you that concerts, like many things, are more fun with young people around. The vibe in the hall was fantastic."
Read the rest of the feature here.
art mag covers first cma exhibit at transformer
A feature in the arts-based blog ArtDaily covers at length the latest exhibit at the new Transformer Station in Ohio City, which is the first for co-curator Cleveland Museum of Art.
"The Cleveland Museum of Art presents The Unicorn, its debut exhibition at Transformer Station, a new contemporary art venue owned by the Bidwell Foundation on Cleveland's west side. The Unicorn refers to the book of the same title by Martin Walser, an author whose work often questions how humans continually reshape the past."
The group exhibition includes the work of five internationally renowned contemporary artists: Neïl Beloufa, Martin Soto Climent, Shana Lutker, Haris Epaminonda and Daniel Gustav Cramer. The work, some created specifically for this exhibition, explore how memory is constructed by individuals looking backwards from a constantly shifting point.
Read the rest right here.
"The Cleveland Museum of Art presents The Unicorn, its debut exhibition at Transformer Station, a new contemporary art venue owned by the Bidwell Foundation on Cleveland's west side. The Unicorn refers to the book of the same title by Martin Walser, an author whose work often questions how humans continually reshape the past."
The group exhibition includes the work of five internationally renowned contemporary artists: Neïl Beloufa, Martin Soto Climent, Shana Lutker, Haris Epaminonda and Daniel Gustav Cramer. The work, some created specifically for this exhibition, explore how memory is constructed by individuals looking backwards from a constantly shifting point.
Read the rest right here.
Creative reuse centers are popping up all across the nation, including Cleveland. These craft-astic places are filled with useful materials that otherwise would end up in a landfill. Adored by artists, teachers and other crafty folks, they also create green jobs, reduce waste and offer affordable supplies for projects.
Welcome to Waterloo, which is fast becoming the weirdest, most creative strip in Cleveland. Thanks to a $1 million grant from the Kresge Foundation, this neighborhood will increase to 25 the number of new arts-based businesses that recently opened along the main drag.