ArtsNow

06/19/2026

What do arts and culture really mean to a community?

In this conversation, Christy Bolingbroke of The National Center for Choreography - Akron and Judge Joy Malek Oldfield discuss why arts and culture are so much more than performances and events; they're the threads that connect us, strengthen our neighborhoods, fuel economic growth, and help tell the story of *who* we are.

The future of our community depends on continuing to support one another, champion creativity, and invest in the people and places that make Summit County unique.

Because when arts and culture thrive, communities thrive.

06/18/2026

Looking for plans tonight? Enjoy a preview performance of the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival at 6:30, featuring Ohio Contemporary Ballet. The evening includes short dance vignettes and Q&A with the artists.

Registration is requested for this free event: https://bit.ly/4xIYo1R

06/16/2026

When Leianne Neff Miller accepted the Chairman’s Award from the Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau, she brought her trademark wit, humility, and gratitude. We're honored to share the remarks she delivered that day.

That began with... "I'd like to thank the Academy!"

Leianne Neff Miller, President & CEO of the Summit County Historical Society and founding board member of ArtsNow, remarks upon being awarded the Chairman's Award by the Akron Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau.

06/11/2026

We’re grateful to the Akron Community Foundation for their continued support and for recognizing the important role arts and culture play in strengthening our community.

Its team has a deep understanding that the arts are more than enrichment; they are an economic driver, a talent attractor, and a vital part of what makes Summit County a vibrant place to live, work, and thrive!

06/08/2026

Ten years of moving ideas, artists, and dance forward!🕺

This year, The National Center for Choreography - Akron is celebrating its 10th anniversary! As one of only two choreography centers in the country, NCCAkron has spent the last decade connecting artists, sparking new creative work, and putting Akron on the national dance map.

To celebrate, they're throwing a Dance Party Through the Decades on June 20, a night of music, dancing, community, and plenty of reasons to hit the dance floor. 🪩

Read more from Christy Bolingbroke and John E. Jenkins here: artsnow.org/a-startup-for-dance-reflections-on-nccakrons-first-decade/

*Photo by Dale D**g; NCCAkron’s Dancing Lab: Screendance filming in Akron

06/08/2026

We’re grateful to The EXL Center for Community Engaged Learning for the important work they do to advance community engagement and creative placemaking throughout our region!

Congrats to our very own Nicole Mullet and Patrick Bravo on being recognized as EX[L] Award Winners for Creative Placemaking. Through their collaboration and leadership, they continue to demonstrate how arts, culture, and community-centered work can create meaningful impact and bring people together.

Well deserved! 🎉

Community Engagement Champions are those who uphold the values expressed in EX[L]’s mission and support community engagement at UA. They can be community partners, staff, faculty, or students. Each year, it is so hard for us to just pick a few.

Check out the EX[L] Awards program from May 1st to learn more about our 2025-2026 Champions: https://canva.link/ohernls9981c5ix

06/04/2026

We were proud to join arts leaders from across the country at AFTACON 2026, the annual conference hosted by Americans for the Arts.

From inspiring conversations and innovative ideas to strategies for strengthening communities through the arts, we left energized and reminded of the important role arts and culture play in creating vibrant places to live, work, and thrive!

A few takeaways that stuck with us:

✅ The National Endowment for the Arts shared research comparing public investment in arts and culture across 50 countries. The United States ranked among the lowest, reinforcing an important idea shared during the conference: access to the arts should not depend on geography or proximity to philanthropy.

✅ Storytelling matters. During Why Our Stories Matter, The Knight Foundation Vice President for Arts, Kristina Newman-Scott, joined actor, author, translator, and musician Molly Ringwald for a conversation about storytelling and the essential role the arts play in civic life.

We're excited to bring what we learned back to Summit County... more to come!

06/03/2026

ArtsForward Grantee Spotlight ⭐: Administrative Judge Katarina Cook transformed the halls of the Summit County Domestic Relations Court into a deeply meaningful exhibit titled "Children: In Their Best Interest."

06/01/2026

The Fresh Cut & Style Poetry & Essay Contest offers youth ages 5-17 the opportunity to earn a fresh haircut or style by writing an original poem, an essay, or both on the given topics.

Topic 1: The Importance of Being Kind
Topic 2: If I Could Tell The World One Thing, It Would Be...

You can write a poem about Topic 1 and an essay about Topic 2, or an essay about Topic 1 and a poem about Topic 2; or you can decide to write a poem or an essay about just one topic.

For more information, visit: https://summitlive365.com/classified/a-fresh-cut-style-poetry-essay-contest/

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