ArtsNow

ArtsNow ArtsNow works to leverage arts and culture in Summit County.

VISION

ArtsNow envisions a Summit County where our arts & culture assets are fully leveraged to support and strengthen the region’s economic and social vibrancy. The public’s demand for and participation in arts & culture is high, and artists and arts organizations deliver diverse, innovative and accessible offerings that make Summit County a highly creative community that is extremely attractive

to artists, businesses, and residents. Because of the sector’s strength, Summit County’s arts & culture enjoys strong and growing support from the public and private sectors. MISSION

ArtsNow strengthens Summit County by advancing its arts & culture assets and building connections between arts & culture and the broad community. ArtsNow:
• provides residents of Summit County access to information about the diverse arts & culture offerings available in Summit County.
• aggregates and analyzes data about arts & culture to drive sector improvement.
• advocates for arts & culture across the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
• convenes and connects makers and presenters to strengthen the sector’s impact and relevance.
• builds and strengthens funding for arts & culture.

For decades, Pollock-Krasner Foundation grants have enabled visual artists to create new work, purchase needed materials...
05/28/2026

For decades, Pollock-Krasner Foundation grants have enabled visual artists to create new work, purchase needed materials, cover studio rent, and more.

Grants for artists are unrestricted and can be used in any way that allows an artist to meaningfully pursue their practice.

The Foundation welcomes, throughout the year, applications from professional visual artists who are painters, sculptors, and/or artists who work on paper, including printmakers.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis: there are no deadlines! For more information, visit: https://bit.ly/43B1iHS

Big things happen when cities see arts and culture as part of the foundation, not an afterthought.Huge congratulations t...
05/14/2026

Big things happen when cities see arts and culture as part of the foundation, not an afterthought.

Huge congratulations to Mayor John Pribonic, Drew C. Reilly, and Leila Griffiths on an incredible presentation at Arts Impact Ohio this week.

The City of Stow’s session, Using Public Projects as Catalysts for Public Art, highlighted how one amphitheater project became a spark for deeper community investment, stronger partnerships, and a broader vision for public art across the city.

(And, we heard from attendees that it was one of the standout sessions of the conference! 👏)

We're honored to share the ArtsNow 2025 Impact Report, which highlights the momentum, incredible partnerships, and measu...
05/12/2026

We're honored to share the ArtsNow 2025 Impact Report, which highlights the momentum, incredible partnerships, and measurable impact shaping arts and culture across Summit County, showcasing how collective investment continues to strengthen community connection!

View the 2025 report here: artsnow.org/impact-report/

Join ArtsNow for our Quarterly Creative Summits, lunchtime conversations for the people and organizations who contribute...
05/11/2026

Join ArtsNow for our Quarterly Creative Summits, lunchtime conversations for the people and organizations who contribute to the cultural vitality of Summit County.

https://artsnow.org/events/

So many of the 2026 Zenith Award recipients are part of the arts and culture ecosystem that helps make Summit County fee...
05/07/2026

So many of the 2026 Zenith Award recipients are part of the arts and culture ecosystem that helps make Summit County feel connected, vibrant, creative, and full of possibility.

Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients, and especially the top honorees:

▪️ Leianne Neff Miller of Summit County Historical Society, recipient of the Chairman’s Award and a founding board member of ArtsNow. Leianne has spent years championing the people, places, and stories that shape our region, and ArtsNow simply would not be what it is today without her vision and belief in this work.

▪️A.J. Stokes of Stokes Sound, Inc., recipient of the Susan L. Hamo Hospitality Person of the Year Award. AJ has helped bring countless cultural events to life across Summit County for decades, including many ArtsNow gatherings. The kind of person who quietly helps create experiences people remember.

▪️Main Street Barberton, recipient of the Arts & Culture Impact Award, for the incredible work happening in downtown Barberton and for showing what’s possible when arts, culture, small businesses, and community pride all grow together.

At ArtsNow, we often talk about arts and culture as essential infrastructure for a thriving community, and this list is full of people who prove it every single day.

We are so proud to celebrate them and grateful to be in community with them.

See the full list of recipients here: visitakron-summit.org/zenith-awards/
Akron Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau

This award honors the people and organizations using arts and culture to strengthen communities, spark economic growth, ...
05/06/2026

This award honors the people and organizations using arts and culture to strengthen communities, spark economic growth, and create places people are proud to call home.

Through incredible leadership and vision, Barberton is experiencing real momentum, and we’re honored to celebrate the impact happening there.

Congratulations, Main Street Barberton on this well-deserved recognition!

"To begin bringing the project to life, I applied for an ArtsForward grant through ArtsNow. Learning that we received $...
05/05/2026

"To begin bringing the project to life, I applied for an ArtsForward grant through ArtsNow. Learning that we received $25,000 in support from the ArtsForward grant to make this work possible was an out-of-body experience." – Danielle M. Dieterich, Cuyahoga Valley Art Center Executive Director

The Cuyahoga Valley Art Center is home to a new mural, titled "Pantone of the Cuyahoga River." Read about how a commitment to bringing vision, partnership, and community makes the places we live places we can thrive:
https://artsnow.org/from-blank-wall-to-community-landmark-the-story-behind-the-pantone-of-the-cuyahoga-river-mural/

05/04/2026

Thank you to Elizabeth Bartz and State and Federal Communications, Inc., for being the Presenting Sponsor of 100 Days of Impact: An Afternoon with Elected Officials, and for sharing in our belief that the arts and culture sector is essential for attracting talent, fueling our economy, and shaping the vibrancy we’re proud to call home.

We’re grateful for your leadership, Elizabeth, and for helping elevate what’s next for Summit County.

04/29/2026

During our annual 100 Days of Impact: An Afternoon with Elected Leaders, presented by State & Federal Communications, the conversations reinforced something we know to be true: arts, culture, and the environment aren’t separate from our region’s success; they help drive it.

From economic vitality to talent attraction to quality of life, these sectors play a critical role in shaping what’s next.

And in the first 100 days of leadership, that kind of alignment matters!

Thank you to the following elected and government officials who joined us:

▪️Judge Alison Breaux, Summit County Court of Common Pleas
▪️Thomas Chase, Representing the Office of Congresswoman Emilia Sykes, U.S. House of Representatives
▪️Judge Lisa Coates, Stow Municipal Court
▪️Sharon Connor, Councilwoman, Akron City Council
▪️Katarina Cook, Judge, Summit County Domestic Relations Court
▪️Jessica Epstein, Council President, Tallmadge City Council
▪️Tavia Galonski, Clerk, Summit County Clerk of Courts
▪️Jon Groza, Council President, City of Fairlawn
▪️Kyle Herman, Councilman, City of Stow
▪️Elliot Kolkovich, Prosecutor, Summit County
▪️Jerry Larson, Judge, Akron Municipal Court
▪️Judge Joy Malek Oldfield, Summit County Common Pleas Court
▪️Allen Mavrides, Mayor, City of Munroe Falls
▪️Alison McCarty, Judge, Summit County Common Pleas Court
▪️Sue Ann Philippbar, M.A., Vice President of Council, Village of Richfield
▪️John Pribonic, Mayor, City of Stow
▪️Drew Reilly, Law Director, City of Stow
▪️Ilene Shapiro, County Executive, County of Summit
▪️Judge Jennifer D. Towell, Summit County Court of Common Pleas
▪️Sean Vollman, Representing the Office of Mayor Shammas Malik, City of Akron
▪️Elizabeth Walters, County Councilmember, Summit County Council
▪️Don Walters, Mayor, City of Cuyahoga Falls
▪️Michael Wheeler, Mayor, Village of Richfield
▪️Rocco Yeargin, Mayor, City of Green

Address

175 S. Main Street, STE 100
Akron, OH
44308

Telephone

+13302031318

Website

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