04/17/2026
This week… was different.
Not just busy.
Not just productive.
Transformational.
We’re watching the shift happen in real time across City of Toledo and BESN X Community is right in the middle of it.
We connected with Brandon Ruiz and the Nemsys team, building pathways for real tech access and infrastructure.
We sat down with Nolan Culver at Ostrich Towne & Amanda Goldsmith with PNC Bank, locking in the space for our 2nd Annual Spring Art & Community Market a platform built for artists, creators, and vendors who have been overlooked for far too long.
And we tapped into the growing tech movement with Toledo Codes, connecting with:
• Ericca Ross (The Loft 419)
• Justin Beaudry (Founder, Toledo Codes)
• Michael Vanderpool
• Dalien Ahiekpor with Amazon Web Services
This is what people don’t understand…
These aren’t separate moments.
This is one ecosystem forming.
Art.
Tech.
Energy.
Community.
All coming together to build something Toledo hasn’t seen before.
And let’s be clear
The art and market scene needs to change.
For too long, it’s been the same cycle:
Same spaces.
Same gatekeepers.
Same limited access.
Meanwhile, the real culture, the real creators, have been building with nothing.
That ends now.
The Spring Art & Community Market is not just an event.
It’s a reset.
A new standard where:
• Artists get real visibility
• Creators get real opportunity
• Community actually benefits
• And the culture moves forward without waiting for approval
Saturday, June 13th | 1PM – 6PM
Ostrich Towne
If you’ve been waiting for a real opportunity this is it.
If you’ve been building in silence this is your moment.
If you believe Toledo deserves more stand with us.
We’re not asking for a seat at the table anymore.
We’re building our own.
