Arts + Culture
Call it a small business grant competition with a twist. The Downtown Cleveland Alliance 5th Street Arcades Retail Development Grant Competition will award $1,500 to $20,000 to startup businesses. Along with free and reduced rent for the first year, tenants will also have a chance to win matching funds and garner community support through online crowdfunding.
Downtown Cleveland Alliance and developer Dick Pace are hoping that the recently launched program, which is being funded by Charter One Growing Communities, will help kickstart new downtown retail and fill up long-vacant spaces in the 5th Street Arcades (formerly the Colonial Arcade).
"I already have people calling me," says Pace, who has added several new shops since taking over a master lease for the arcades, including Curious Cleaveland, Chocolate 76 and Different Things Gallery. "We need more than one single shop, but a group of retailers that feed off each other and create that synergy."
The crowdfunding campaigns, which will take place after winners are selected, will give retailers a chance to raise funds and generate buzz. "They get capital support from DCA, and support from crowdfunding. It's a pretty powerful combination."
Carrie Carpenter of Charter One Growing Communities says that providing gap funding to new urban retailers has been so successful that the program is being rolled out in other cities outside of Northeast Ohio. "When you look at it from a small business perspective, we have tons of entrepreneurs in Cleveland, tons of great ideas," she says. "The challenge is that they simply lack funding to make it happen. Growing Communities is about helping neighborhoods succeed."
The competition began Tuesday, January 29 and runs through Friday, March 1, 2013. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on March 1 to be eligible. Finalists will be notified on or before March 20, 2013. Grant applications will be judged on their merits by a selection committee.
Finalists will run crowdfunding campaigns from March 25 to April 24. Winners and grant amounts are scheduled to be announced the week of April 29.
Source: Carrie Carpenter, Dick Pace
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Downtown Cleveland Alliance and developer Dick Pace are hoping that the recently launched program, which is being funded by Charter One Growing Communities, will help kickstart new downtown retail and fill up long-vacant spaces in the 5th Street Arcades (formerly the Colonial Arcade).
"I already have people calling me," says Pace, who has added several new shops since taking over a master lease for the arcades, including Curious Cleaveland, Chocolate 76 and Different Things Gallery. "We need more than one single shop, but a group of retailers that feed off each other and create that synergy."
The crowdfunding campaigns, which will take place after winners are selected, will give retailers a chance to raise funds and generate buzz. "They get capital support from DCA, and support from crowdfunding. It's a pretty powerful combination."
Carrie Carpenter of Charter One Growing Communities says that providing gap funding to new urban retailers has been so successful that the program is being rolled out in other cities outside of Northeast Ohio. "When you look at it from a small business perspective, we have tons of entrepreneurs in Cleveland, tons of great ideas," she says. "The challenge is that they simply lack funding to make it happen. Growing Communities is about helping neighborhoods succeed."
The competition began Tuesday, January 29 and runs through Friday, March 1, 2013. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on March 1 to be eligible. Finalists will be notified on or before March 20, 2013. Grant applications will be judged on their merits by a selection committee.
Finalists will run crowdfunding campaigns from March 25 to April 24. Winners and grant amounts are scheduled to be announced the week of April 29.
Source: Carrie Carpenter, Dick Pace
Writer: Lee Chilcote
whopperjaw jaws about lottery league
In a Lottery League of Their Own
In an awesome post on Whopperjaw, an online music and arts blog, writer Sam Fryberger interviews the founders -- Jae Kristoff, Michael Pultz and Ed Sotelo -- of the popular Lottery League event on the unexpected success of their wacky idea.
"Lottery League is a large-scale recurring experiment that brings together diverse Cleveland musicians and forces them to form new bands on the spot with people they definitely have never played with and may never have even met before. Each new group gets two months to come together, develop their band’s identity and, of course, practice for the Big Show on April 13 (which is free and open to the public)," Fryberger writes.
The numbers are staggering: nearly 200 participants in the event are randomly matched to create 42 brand new bands.
“At the end of this you are booked for a gig. You aren’t getting paid, but you have a show and you are expected to perform,” the musicians are told.
Regarding the creation, Kristoff says: Ed Sotelo had posted a long rant on there about the lousy music he had seen the night before and about how he thought all city’s bands should break up and be part of sports-like draft. I was like, “Holy shit.” Then, Nate and I started talking about it. Eventually I ended up calling Ed and said, “Remember that thing you posted earlier? We can totally do that.”
Sotelo: I don’t remember, but I am pretty sure I said, “Whatever, dude.” But it was definitely a fun idea even then when he laid it out. Jae was assuring me, “It’s going to happen.”
Sotelo continues: Here’s a chance to completely take a risk and have fun. Some cats are really hungry for something like that. I can go play my own stuff for three hours or I can play someone else’s stuff for three hours. But you know what would be great? If I could just say “fuck it” and hang out with people I’ve never met for a while and do something completely different musically. I believe that every musician, regardless of genre, deep down inside would like to be challenged and wants to create.
Check out the rest here.
In an awesome post on Whopperjaw, an online music and arts blog, writer Sam Fryberger interviews the founders -- Jae Kristoff, Michael Pultz and Ed Sotelo -- of the popular Lottery League event on the unexpected success of their wacky idea.
"Lottery League is a large-scale recurring experiment that brings together diverse Cleveland musicians and forces them to form new bands on the spot with people they definitely have never played with and may never have even met before. Each new group gets two months to come together, develop their band’s identity and, of course, practice for the Big Show on April 13 (which is free and open to the public)," Fryberger writes.
The numbers are staggering: nearly 200 participants in the event are randomly matched to create 42 brand new bands.
“At the end of this you are booked for a gig. You aren’t getting paid, but you have a show and you are expected to perform,” the musicians are told.
Regarding the creation, Kristoff says: Ed Sotelo had posted a long rant on there about the lousy music he had seen the night before and about how he thought all city’s bands should break up and be part of sports-like draft. I was like, “Holy shit.” Then, Nate and I started talking about it. Eventually I ended up calling Ed and said, “Remember that thing you posted earlier? We can totally do that.”
Sotelo: I don’t remember, but I am pretty sure I said, “Whatever, dude.” But it was definitely a fun idea even then when he laid it out. Jae was assuring me, “It’s going to happen.”
Sotelo continues: Here’s a chance to completely take a risk and have fun. Some cats are really hungry for something like that. I can go play my own stuff for three hours or I can play someone else’s stuff for three hours. But you know what would be great? If I could just say “fuck it” and hang out with people I’ve never met for a while and do something completely different musically. I believe that every musician, regardless of genre, deep down inside would like to be challenged and wants to create.
Check out the rest here.
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
Cleveland's Gordon Square Arts District (GSAD) is supported by a strong backbone of dedicated institutions, corporations, merchants, residents and philanthropists, says Judi Feniger, newly named executive director of the West Side arts enclave.
Feniger planned to spend this week meeting with these groups, and looks forward to continuing the relationships that will help make the district even stronger. "It's a dynamic area," says Feniger, successor to GSAD founding executive director Joy Roller, who earlier this month became president of Global Cleveland. "I need to get a sense of what's going on."
What's been happening in recent years is new loft housing, an enhanced Detroit Avenue streetscape, new retail and gallery ventures, and the renovation of the Cleveland Public Theatre complex and Capitol Theatre. The latest milestone occurred in November with the groundbreaking for the Near West Theatre’s first permanent performance venue.
"Gordon Square is a growing part of Cleveland that attracting young residents," says Feniger. "How can we take these great assets and show them to our community?"
The experienced arts and business leader plans to answer that question thanks to a philanthropy and arts background that includes leadership stints with the American Red Cross and most recently the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage.
"I've been to Gordon Square many times," Feniger says. "It will be exciting to build on the foundation and bring more activity and awareness to the things going on here."
The district's potent combination of housing, new businesses, the arts and neighborhood beautification is attracting national attention and drawing audiences and visitors from throughout the region, notes the new executive director.
"There are many great things to do in Cleveland," says Feniger. "Our challenge will be to get a share of people's time and mind."
SOURCE: Judi Feniger
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Feniger planned to spend this week meeting with these groups, and looks forward to continuing the relationships that will help make the district even stronger. "It's a dynamic area," says Feniger, successor to GSAD founding executive director Joy Roller, who earlier this month became president of Global Cleveland. "I need to get a sense of what's going on."
What's been happening in recent years is new loft housing, an enhanced Detroit Avenue streetscape, new retail and gallery ventures, and the renovation of the Cleveland Public Theatre complex and Capitol Theatre. The latest milestone occurred in November with the groundbreaking for the Near West Theatre’s first permanent performance venue.
"Gordon Square is a growing part of Cleveland that attracting young residents," says Feniger. "How can we take these great assets and show them to our community?"
The experienced arts and business leader plans to answer that question thanks to a philanthropy and arts background that includes leadership stints with the American Red Cross and most recently the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage.
"I've been to Gordon Square many times," Feniger says. "It will be exciting to build on the foundation and bring more activity and awareness to the things going on here."
The district's potent combination of housing, new businesses, the arts and neighborhood beautification is attracting national attention and drawing audiences and visitors from throughout the region, notes the new executive director.
"There are many great things to do in Cleveland," says Feniger. "Our challenge will be to get a share of people's time and mind."
SOURCE: Judi Feniger
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
usa today features cleveland's historical fairfax neighborhood
In a USA TODAY feature titled “Historic black neighborhoods climb from recession,” Melanie Eversley explores the influx of investments and resurgence of historically black neighborhoods including Cleveland’s Fairfax neighborhood.
“In Cleveland's Fairfax neighborhood, where poet Langston Hughes once lived and where a 98-year-old theater launched his plays, a bank is investing millions.”
Eversely goes on to explain that as the country recovers from the recession, communities are calling attention to what made them famous to begin with.
In Cleveland, she explores the renovations of the Karamu House, the new Langson Hughes center, and others.
"One of the reasons that PNC [Bank] chose Fairfax was because there's such a rich culture there."
Examine the full feature here.
“In Cleveland's Fairfax neighborhood, where poet Langston Hughes once lived and where a 98-year-old theater launched his plays, a bank is investing millions.”
Eversely goes on to explain that as the country recovers from the recession, communities are calling attention to what made them famous to begin with.
In Cleveland, she explores the renovations of the Karamu House, the new Langson Hughes center, and others.
"One of the reasons that PNC [Bank] chose Fairfax was because there's such a rich culture there."
Examine the full feature here.
art daily talks up cma's tech-heavy gallery one
In an Art Daily article titled “Gallery One: A new, unique and interactive gallery opens at the Cleveland Museum of Art,” the journal highlights the level of technology and its role in art appreciation in the new exhibit.
“Throughout the space, original works of art and digital interactives engage visitors in new ways, putting curiosity, imagination and creativity at the heart of their museum experience. Innovative user-interface design and cutting-edge hardware developed exclusively for Gallery One break new ground in art museum interpretation, design and technology.”
It is certainly a break from the standard observation and appreciation of artistic pieces enjoyed in the traditional manner.
“It’s very important to us that visitors interact with real objects, rather than digital reproductions,” David Franklin is quoted in the piece. “We want visitors to look closely at original art works and to make personal connections to what they are seeing.”
Check out the full story here.
“Throughout the space, original works of art and digital interactives engage visitors in new ways, putting curiosity, imagination and creativity at the heart of their museum experience. Innovative user-interface design and cutting-edge hardware developed exclusively for Gallery One break new ground in art museum interpretation, design and technology.”
It is certainly a break from the standard observation and appreciation of artistic pieces enjoyed in the traditional manner.
“It’s very important to us that visitors interact with real objects, rather than digital reproductions,” David Franklin is quoted in the piece. “We want visitors to look closely at original art works and to make personal connections to what they are seeing.”
Check out the full story here.
In another example of a fleeting pop-up becoming permanent, local artists Dott Schneider and Bryon Miller recently opened the Miller Schneider Gallery on Waterloo Road in North Collinwood to showcase seldom-seen artists and add to the district's growing visual arts scene.
In recent years, there's been a rotating gallery at 16008 Waterloo Road. When the landlord approached Miller about opening a space, he soon reeled in Schneider.
The first show features Cincinnati tattoo artist Meghan Dietz, whose flash line paintings are influenced by American-style tattooing. As Schneider says, "What we have on the walls right now is some pretty risque bondage flash line work."
Expect more unusual offerings from this duo, who have plenty of experience.
"What's exciting is that we're both professional artists and have been doing this a long time," says Schneider. "We want to foster good, honest relationships with the artists we represent. It's our responsibility to mentor up-and-coming artists."
Schneider is a mixed-media artist who has been creating and exhibiting work since 1996, while Miller is a photographer with 15 years of experience. Upcoming shows may feature folk artists from Columbus and a printmaker from France, she says.
The gallery will stay open later on nights when there is an "interesting" show at the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern, says Schneider, who is enthused about the arts district. "We're looking forward to growing with the neighborhood," she says.
The gallery has regular weekend hours. It will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays starting in February and will be open late for Walk All Over Waterloo on Feb. 1st.
Source: Dott Schneider
Writer: Lee Chilcote
In recent years, there's been a rotating gallery at 16008 Waterloo Road. When the landlord approached Miller about opening a space, he soon reeled in Schneider.
The first show features Cincinnati tattoo artist Meghan Dietz, whose flash line paintings are influenced by American-style tattooing. As Schneider says, "What we have on the walls right now is some pretty risque bondage flash line work."
Expect more unusual offerings from this duo, who have plenty of experience.
"What's exciting is that we're both professional artists and have been doing this a long time," says Schneider. "We want to foster good, honest relationships with the artists we represent. It's our responsibility to mentor up-and-coming artists."
Schneider is a mixed-media artist who has been creating and exhibiting work since 1996, while Miller is a photographer with 15 years of experience. Upcoming shows may feature folk artists from Columbus and a printmaker from France, she says.
The gallery will stay open later on nights when there is an "interesting" show at the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern, says Schneider, who is enthused about the arts district. "We're looking forward to growing with the neighborhood," she says.
The gallery has regular weekend hours. It will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays starting in February and will be open late for Walk All Over Waterloo on Feb. 1st.
Source: Dott Schneider
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The St. Clair Superior Development Corporation and artist-entrepreneur Stephanie Sheldon are hoping to start a new tradition in Cleveland come spring -- an urban flea market that celebrates Cleveland's maker community and helps locals turn trash into treasure.
The Cleveland Flea will take place on the second Saturday of the month at E. 64th and St. Clair Avenue beginning in April. It will feature a mix of artisans, food trucks, pop-up and bricks-and-mortar retail, and educational demonstrations.
"It will be a look at the maker community in Cleveland combined with traditional flea aspects," says Sheldon, the energetic driver behind the startup businesses Parfait, Indie Foundry and Kiss and Bite. "It will be a mix of a curated selection of Cleveland artisans and a treasure hunt. It won't be all hillbilly or all highbrow."
While the Flea itself will take place outdoors, it dovetails with St. Clair Superior's Retail Ready project, which has lured new businesses to the area by working with local landlords to offer cheap rent, buildout funding and marketing assistance.
Sheldon says the idea came in part from her realization that Cleveland's artisan community could use a home. "I hear rumblings from people who ask, 'How do people find me in the oversaturated Etsy market? It's become really ineffective."
In addition to makers and locals selling their stuff, ideas for the CLE Flea include a pop-up restaurant for food trucks, educational programs on bike repair and starting a business, and a partnership with the Cleveland Salon.
Sheldon hopes the idea will catch on and grow quickly. A soft launch will take place on Saturday, February 23rd at the first-ever Cleveland Kurentovanje, a traditional Slovenian rite of spring that is coming to the area.
Source: Stephanie Sheldon
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The Cleveland Flea will take place on the second Saturday of the month at E. 64th and St. Clair Avenue beginning in April. It will feature a mix of artisans, food trucks, pop-up and bricks-and-mortar retail, and educational demonstrations.
"It will be a look at the maker community in Cleveland combined with traditional flea aspects," says Sheldon, the energetic driver behind the startup businesses Parfait, Indie Foundry and Kiss and Bite. "It will be a mix of a curated selection of Cleveland artisans and a treasure hunt. It won't be all hillbilly or all highbrow."
While the Flea itself will take place outdoors, it dovetails with St. Clair Superior's Retail Ready project, which has lured new businesses to the area by working with local landlords to offer cheap rent, buildout funding and marketing assistance.
Sheldon says the idea came in part from her realization that Cleveland's artisan community could use a home. "I hear rumblings from people who ask, 'How do people find me in the oversaturated Etsy market? It's become really ineffective."
In addition to makers and locals selling their stuff, ideas for the CLE Flea include a pop-up restaurant for food trucks, educational programs on bike repair and starting a business, and a partnership with the Cleveland Salon.
Sheldon hopes the idea will catch on and grow quickly. A soft launch will take place on Saturday, February 23rd at the first-ever Cleveland Kurentovanje, a traditional Slovenian rite of spring that is coming to the area.
Source: Stephanie Sheldon
Writer: Lee Chilcote
What's next? It's a question we all wish we had the answer to. But for folks looking to settle down, that question undoubtedly refers to place. In this running series, Fresh Water explores emerging Cleveland neighborhoods that are primed for growth. This week, writer Joe Baur examines North Shore Collinwood.
moca in the running for london-based design competition
Each year, Pillow Magazine -- an edgy London publication -- presents a Designs of the Year exhibition during which the best ideas from all over the globe are rounded up for consideration. The exhibition features nominees from seven categories including Architecture, Digital, Fashion and Furniture. In the end, winners from each category plus one overall winner will be announced in April.
Among the nominees in the Architecture category is the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland. The already iconic University Circle structure is up against The Shard in London, the Kukje Art Center in Seoul, and the Galaxy Soho in Beijing.
Check out all the nominees here.
Among the nominees in the Architecture category is the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland. The already iconic University Circle structure is up against The Shard in London, the Kukje Art Center in Seoul, and the Galaxy Soho in Beijing.
Check out all the nominees here.
It's been more than three years since the bodies of 11 women were discovered on Imperial Avenue. The home of convicted serial killer Anthony Sowell has since been demolished, but the empty lot will soon see a memorial project thanks to a grassroots group that includes architect Kevin Robinette.
Detroit Shoreway resident Erin Gargiulo used to pass through the Gordon Square Arts District on her way to work each day and think, "I wish someone would open a hair salon, because then I would work here."
Last fall, when the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization (DSCDO) launched the Charter One Business Plan Competition and she saw an opportunity to create her own business, Gargiulo decided to go for it. Next month, Honeycomb Salon and Art Gallery will open for business.
"I really wanted to be a part of the arts district," says Gargiulo, who is opening the salon with a business partner who does not wish to be named until it opens. "I wanted to be in a neighborhood that works together and supports each other."
The grant that Honeycomb received from the business plan competition will go towards building out the space and keeping rent low during the startup phase.
Honeycomb, which will eventually employ up to four stylists, is currently under construction in the former offices of Near West Theatre. DSCDO has been working on plans to add more retail to the strip, and the recent addition of several pop-up shops combined with Yellowcake's announcement of a permanent, expanded brick-and-mortar location have added to the district's retail offerings.
Men's cuts will start at $25, women's cuts at $45. Honeycomb will also offer hair coloring and haircuts for kids. Eventually, the duo plan to hire a manicurist, too.
Gargiulo and her partner plan to curate the artwork in the salon themselves, with help from clients and friends in the art world. They hope to host special events at Honeycomb in collaboration with the 78th Street Studios and 1point618 Gallery.
"We wouldn't have found an offer like this in Ohio City or Tremont; they're making a big play at getting the businesses they want here," says Gargiulo. "Everyone's been asking for a salon, I guess. It's going to be wonderful."
Source: Erin Gargiulo
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Last fall, when the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization (DSCDO) launched the Charter One Business Plan Competition and she saw an opportunity to create her own business, Gargiulo decided to go for it. Next month, Honeycomb Salon and Art Gallery will open for business.
"I really wanted to be a part of the arts district," says Gargiulo, who is opening the salon with a business partner who does not wish to be named until it opens. "I wanted to be in a neighborhood that works together and supports each other."
The grant that Honeycomb received from the business plan competition will go towards building out the space and keeping rent low during the startup phase.
Honeycomb, which will eventually employ up to four stylists, is currently under construction in the former offices of Near West Theatre. DSCDO has been working on plans to add more retail to the strip, and the recent addition of several pop-up shops combined with Yellowcake's announcement of a permanent, expanded brick-and-mortar location have added to the district's retail offerings.
Men's cuts will start at $25, women's cuts at $45. Honeycomb will also offer hair coloring and haircuts for kids. Eventually, the duo plan to hire a manicurist, too.
Gargiulo and her partner plan to curate the artwork in the salon themselves, with help from clients and friends in the art world. They hope to host special events at Honeycomb in collaboration with the 78th Street Studios and 1point618 Gallery.
"We wouldn't have found an offer like this in Ohio City or Tremont; they're making a big play at getting the businesses they want here," says Gargiulo. "Everyone's been asking for a salon, I guess. It's going to be wonderful."
Source: Erin Gargiulo
Writer: Lee Chilcote
foundation looks to transform masonic space into technologically advanced media center
The imposing brick structure of the Cleveland Masonic and Performance Arts Center (CMPAC) has stood in Midtown Cleveland for a century. A local charity seeking to purchase the building sees a unique opportunity to harness CMPAC's historic legacy and create something new and distinctive.
The Mason Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization structured "to promote the arts and academic excellence in Northeast Ohio," is working to buy the facility, which it would refurbish into a technologically advanced media center while also improving the performance space.
"We want to elevate the entire community," says foundation founder Gregory Mason, pointing to CMPAC's Midtown location as virtually equidistant to downtown and University Circle.
The foundation is now involved in engineering and architecture surveys on the site. The building's current owner is the Cleveland chapter of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, and Mason believes his organization will be ready to purchase the facility before the end of the year.
The centerpiece of the new venture is the "Towne Hall," a 24/7 data center and public space participants can use to access civic and library resources. Other plans include renovating CMPAC's "acoustically perfect" performance space, while the building would also host creative arts classes. Current tenants like the American Red Cross would remain and could even benefit from Mason Foundation backing, says the organization founder.
"We want to help nonprofits reach some of the resources they can't access now," Mason says.
Restoration will cost $30 million, a figure Mason hopes to accrue through grants, donors and private investors. The cost is worth it to unite civic, academic and arts resources in one place, Mason believes.
SOURCE: Gregory Mason
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
The Mason Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization structured "to promote the arts and academic excellence in Northeast Ohio," is working to buy the facility, which it would refurbish into a technologically advanced media center while also improving the performance space.
"We want to elevate the entire community," says foundation founder Gregory Mason, pointing to CMPAC's Midtown location as virtually equidistant to downtown and University Circle.
The foundation is now involved in engineering and architecture surveys on the site. The building's current owner is the Cleveland chapter of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, and Mason believes his organization will be ready to purchase the facility before the end of the year.
The centerpiece of the new venture is the "Towne Hall," a 24/7 data center and public space participants can use to access civic and library resources. Other plans include renovating CMPAC's "acoustically perfect" performance space, while the building would also host creative arts classes. Current tenants like the American Red Cross would remain and could even benefit from Mason Foundation backing, says the organization founder.
"We want to help nonprofits reach some of the resources they can't access now," Mason says.
Restoration will cost $30 million, a figure Mason hopes to accrue through grants, donors and private investors. The cost is worth it to unite civic, academic and arts resources in one place, Mason believes.
SOURCE: Gregory Mason
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Downtown has lacked a soul food restaurant for years. That's changed now that Soul Republic, the successful restauranteurs behind Angie's Soul Cafe, Jezebel's Bayou and Zanzibar, have opened Stonetown Southern Bistro at 627 Prospect Avenue.
The casual venue, whose menu features "soul food with a twist" and is similar to Zanzibar at Shaker Square, aims to fill a gap in the marketplace. "This is one of those everyday locations, as opposed to a place you'd go as a treat on date night," says Adrian Lindsay, Stonetown's general manager. "That niche has been missing down here. It's something overdue for this area."
Lunch entree prices are in the $6 to $9 range, while dinner menu items are priced from $10 to $14. Stonetown is located in the former Nexus Coffeehouse space on the ground floor of the 668 Euclid Avenue apartment building (Prospect Ave. side).
Soul Republic has reconfigured the space so that it features a lounge and bar with hightop tables and a dining room. A homemade wine cabinet separates the two.
The menu is a "soul fusion" concept similar to Zanzibar, says Akin Alafin, general manager of Soul Republic, but it includes many new items as well. These include buttermilk fried yardbird with red velvet waffle, lobster shrimp and grits, fried crawfish, lobster quesadilla with arugula sauce, and the Stone Rolls.
Stonetown has been getting a great reception so far, says Lindsay. The key to success for the company, which employs eight family members and has become something of a soul food dynasty, has been consistency, the incorporation of fresh ingredients from local farmers and the West Side Market, and not taking shortcuts. "They want soul food; it's gotta be cooked for the soul."
The restaurant, while still in the soft-open phase, does feature the full menu, says Alafin. Weekend brunch will start on Saturday, January 26th and run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. So far, Soul Republic has invested more than $200,00 into the space and has hired 11 people.
Stonetown Southern Bistro is Soul Republic's fifth restaurant in the Cleveland area.
Sources: Adrian Lindsay, Akin Alafin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The casual venue, whose menu features "soul food with a twist" and is similar to Zanzibar at Shaker Square, aims to fill a gap in the marketplace. "This is one of those everyday locations, as opposed to a place you'd go as a treat on date night," says Adrian Lindsay, Stonetown's general manager. "That niche has been missing down here. It's something overdue for this area."
Lunch entree prices are in the $6 to $9 range, while dinner menu items are priced from $10 to $14. Stonetown is located in the former Nexus Coffeehouse space on the ground floor of the 668 Euclid Avenue apartment building (Prospect Ave. side).
Soul Republic has reconfigured the space so that it features a lounge and bar with hightop tables and a dining room. A homemade wine cabinet separates the two.
The menu is a "soul fusion" concept similar to Zanzibar, says Akin Alafin, general manager of Soul Republic, but it includes many new items as well. These include buttermilk fried yardbird with red velvet waffle, lobster shrimp and grits, fried crawfish, lobster quesadilla with arugula sauce, and the Stone Rolls.
Stonetown has been getting a great reception so far, says Lindsay. The key to success for the company, which employs eight family members and has become something of a soul food dynasty, has been consistency, the incorporation of fresh ingredients from local farmers and the West Side Market, and not taking shortcuts. "They want soul food; it's gotta be cooked for the soul."
The restaurant, while still in the soft-open phase, does feature the full menu, says Alafin. Weekend brunch will start on Saturday, January 26th and run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. So far, Soul Republic has invested more than $200,00 into the space and has hired 11 people.
Stonetown Southern Bistro is Soul Republic's fifth restaurant in the Cleveland area.
Sources: Adrian Lindsay, Akin Alafin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Library is transforming a 4,000-square-foot former YMCA gym connected to its Lee Road branch into a high-tech community classroom and home for the Cuyahoga County Small Business Development Center.
The renovation, which broke ground in December and will be completed in June, is aimed at better serving the community while also supporting small business entrepreneurship in the Heights communities.
The new Heights Knowledge and Innovation Center (HKIC) will be free and open to the public. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will be operated by the Monte Ahuja College of Business at Cleveland State University.
"There are a number of things about this project that are very innovative, and one of them is that an SBDC has never been in a library," says Library Director Nancy Levin. "We want to publish our results and try to make it an example for others."
Libraries have been evolving for some time into hubs for small business, and many now offer meeting rooms and workrooms. The project fulfills a vision identified in 2006 during community meetings, Levin says. The six workrooms currently available at the main library are nearly always completely full, she adds.
Other features of the project include a new computer lab with 26 work stations, expanded wireless access in the HKIC lounge area, additional study rooms, iPad rental, a production work area with office supplies, and a digital multimedia lab.
The $485,000 project is being paid for by the Heights Libraries Building and Repair Fund. It was designed by studioTECHNE and the contractor is Sterling Professional Group.
Source: Nancy Levin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The renovation, which broke ground in December and will be completed in June, is aimed at better serving the community while also supporting small business entrepreneurship in the Heights communities.
The new Heights Knowledge and Innovation Center (HKIC) will be free and open to the public. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will be operated by the Monte Ahuja College of Business at Cleveland State University.
"There are a number of things about this project that are very innovative, and one of them is that an SBDC has never been in a library," says Library Director Nancy Levin. "We want to publish our results and try to make it an example for others."
Libraries have been evolving for some time into hubs for small business, and many now offer meeting rooms and workrooms. The project fulfills a vision identified in 2006 during community meetings, Levin says. The six workrooms currently available at the main library are nearly always completely full, she adds.
Other features of the project include a new computer lab with 26 work stations, expanded wireless access in the HKIC lounge area, additional study rooms, iPad rental, a production work area with office supplies, and a digital multimedia lab.
The $485,000 project is being paid for by the Heights Libraries Building and Repair Fund. It was designed by studioTECHNE and the contractor is Sterling Professional Group.
Source: Nancy Levin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
art journal highlights cma's 2012 accomplishments
In an Art Daily piece titled “Cleveland Museum of Art celebrates significant accomplishments from 2012,” the online arts newspaper highlights the remarkable year the museum experienced. From an increase in attendance to the opening of a dining facility featuring cuisine from a prominent local chef to educational programs, it was an exciting year.
"The Cleveland Museum of Art announced today that 423,640 visitors came to the museum in 2012. This attendance statistic represents a 38% increase year-over-year and brings the museum’s annual attendance in-line with pre-renovation figures, the first time such an accomplishment has occurred since 2005. Attendance drivers included the blockbuster special exhibition, Rembrandt in America, as well as the highly anticipated openings of the stunning Ames Family Atrium, dining facilities featuring cuisine by Chef Douglas Katz, the museum store and new galleries showcasing the Late Medieval, Renaissance and Islamic collections."
“As the museum approaches the final stages of our transformational renovation project and looks towards its centennial in 2016, we do so with a new vision for the future, led by director David Franklin,” Steven Kestner, chairman of the Board of Trustees, is quoted in the piece. “We are very pleased with the progress made by David and his team thus far and look forward to celebrating even more accomplishments in 2013.”
In the big business that is fine art, the CMA was also thankful to members and donors who make it possible to bring such experiences, exhibitions, films, and other special programs throughout the year.
Read the full piece here.
"The Cleveland Museum of Art announced today that 423,640 visitors came to the museum in 2012. This attendance statistic represents a 38% increase year-over-year and brings the museum’s annual attendance in-line with pre-renovation figures, the first time such an accomplishment has occurred since 2005. Attendance drivers included the blockbuster special exhibition, Rembrandt in America, as well as the highly anticipated openings of the stunning Ames Family Atrium, dining facilities featuring cuisine by Chef Douglas Katz, the museum store and new galleries showcasing the Late Medieval, Renaissance and Islamic collections."
“As the museum approaches the final stages of our transformational renovation project and looks towards its centennial in 2016, we do so with a new vision for the future, led by director David Franklin,” Steven Kestner, chairman of the Board of Trustees, is quoted in the piece. “We are very pleased with the progress made by David and his team thus far and look forward to celebrating even more accomplishments in 2013.”
In the big business that is fine art, the CMA was also thankful to members and donors who make it possible to bring such experiences, exhibitions, films, and other special programs throughout the year.
Read the full piece here.
Each year in Cuyahoga County, 20 fortunate artists are awarded $20,000 Creative Workforce Fellowship grants to pursue their art, which often takes a back seat to more pressing needs. The fellowships also help to brand the region to outsiders as an artist-friendly place to live.
Angela Ben-Kiki, the artist and designer behind Green Garage Studio, has come full circle by opening a new studio and showroom in a two-family rental that she owns on W. 11th Street in Tremont.
Ben-Kiki was one of the first entrepreneurs to open a design-focused store in Tremont when she owned the shop Go Modern. She eventually closed the store to focus on being a mom. Now that her daughter is older, she has returned with new energy to the place where it all began.
"I produce well-crafted gear for everyday -- commuting, travel and leisure," she explains. "It is sustainably produced and one-of-a-kind. Many of my products have multiple uses, and we choose distinctive fabrics made in America."
Among Green Garage's signature products are denim bags for men and women. She purchases material from American Denim Growers in Littlefield, Texas. Despite the prevalence of denim in clothing, relatively few bags are made out of it.
"I bought a remnant of denim years ago, and that got me started," she says. "I made an everyday errand bag, and people said, 'Hey, where did you get that?'"
While Ben-Kiki's studio in Tremont recalls her history in the neighborhood, she's branching out in new directions, she says. Her newest products include aprons, pouches and a men's mesh bag. She also plans to get more into bicycling gear.
"I have a passion for design and usefulness. That comes from vintage times. To produce something that is meant to last for years -- I find it very gratifying."
Source: Angela Ben-Kiki
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Ben-Kiki was one of the first entrepreneurs to open a design-focused store in Tremont when she owned the shop Go Modern. She eventually closed the store to focus on being a mom. Now that her daughter is older, she has returned with new energy to the place where it all began.
"I produce well-crafted gear for everyday -- commuting, travel and leisure," she explains. "It is sustainably produced and one-of-a-kind. Many of my products have multiple uses, and we choose distinctive fabrics made in America."
Among Green Garage's signature products are denim bags for men and women. She purchases material from American Denim Growers in Littlefield, Texas. Despite the prevalence of denim in clothing, relatively few bags are made out of it.
"I bought a remnant of denim years ago, and that got me started," she says. "I made an everyday errand bag, and people said, 'Hey, where did you get that?'"
While Ben-Kiki's studio in Tremont recalls her history in the neighborhood, she's branching out in new directions, she says. Her newest products include aprons, pouches and a men's mesh bag. She also plans to get more into bicycling gear.
"I have a passion for design and usefulness. That comes from vintage times. To produce something that is meant to last for years -- I find it very gratifying."
Source: Angela Ben-Kiki
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Small plates. Classic cocktails. A wine list curated by a well-traveled owner with a zest for local food. Shared tables made from old flour bins and lots of cozy nooks for hanging out with friends or snuggling up to a date. A menu filled with items like gnudi and braised lamb.
These are just a few of the wonderful things Fresh Water uncovered during a recent tour of Toast Wine Bar, which is set to open next month in the Gordon Square Arts District after six long years of planning.
Local resident and attorney Jillian Davis first purchased the building in 2006, with plans to open a place where she could share her love of great wine and locavore cuisine with others. The building, which had been vacant for years, is a former bakery and residence that came with cool window seats and built-in cabinets.
Then came a nasty spat with the church next door, which first opposed her liquor license but later came around. After her plans were approved a year ago, Davis started construction with the aid of contractor and furniture designer John Arthur. Toast is now drywalled out and Davis says that she plans to open in February. We know: We'll believe it when we see it. But trust us, folks, it's pretty darn close.
"The space was filled with stuff we could reuse; everything is just kind of getting recycled, which is cool," says Davis, pointing out the empty spot where the bar, which is being built from old doors and will have a zinc top, will be installed.
Davis is very excited about her cocktail list, boasting such colorful names as Vieux Carre, Widow's Kiss, Hanky Panky and Sir Alex. "I'm really into the cocktail renaissance," she says. "If you come here, you'll be able to have liquor, but only what I want you to have." Yes ma'am. And at 13 bucks a pop, we bet they'll be good and strong, too.
The opening of Toast is expected to create eight new full-time jobs in the city of Cleveland. Davis wouldn't disclose her total investment amount, simply saying that she's "doing it on the cheap" with some help from the City of Cleveland's Neighborhood Retail Assistance Program, a commercial bank loan and equity.
Davis, who has traveled the world drinking and eating, is excited about the launch. "When I'm not at work, I read about food and wine, cook and eat. It's my passion."
Source: Jillian Davis
Writer: Lee Chilcote
These are just a few of the wonderful things Fresh Water uncovered during a recent tour of Toast Wine Bar, which is set to open next month in the Gordon Square Arts District after six long years of planning.
Local resident and attorney Jillian Davis first purchased the building in 2006, with plans to open a place where she could share her love of great wine and locavore cuisine with others. The building, which had been vacant for years, is a former bakery and residence that came with cool window seats and built-in cabinets.
Then came a nasty spat with the church next door, which first opposed her liquor license but later came around. After her plans were approved a year ago, Davis started construction with the aid of contractor and furniture designer John Arthur. Toast is now drywalled out and Davis says that she plans to open in February. We know: We'll believe it when we see it. But trust us, folks, it's pretty darn close.
"The space was filled with stuff we could reuse; everything is just kind of getting recycled, which is cool," says Davis, pointing out the empty spot where the bar, which is being built from old doors and will have a zinc top, will be installed.
Davis is very excited about her cocktail list, boasting such colorful names as Vieux Carre, Widow's Kiss, Hanky Panky and Sir Alex. "I'm really into the cocktail renaissance," she says. "If you come here, you'll be able to have liquor, but only what I want you to have." Yes ma'am. And at 13 bucks a pop, we bet they'll be good and strong, too.
The opening of Toast is expected to create eight new full-time jobs in the city of Cleveland. Davis wouldn't disclose her total investment amount, simply saying that she's "doing it on the cheap" with some help from the City of Cleveland's Neighborhood Retail Assistance Program, a commercial bank loan and equity.
Davis, who has traveled the world drinking and eating, is excited about the launch. "When I'm not at work, I read about food and wine, cook and eat. It's my passion."
Source: Jillian Davis
Writer: Lee Chilcote