While its beautiful auditorium is dark for now (although it’s undergoing on an ongoing renovation), the Akron Civic Theatre is making big plans for the future of a northeast Ohio treasure that not too many years ago was slated for demolition.
As part of its Staging the Future capital project, it’s looking to transform its dreary outer walls and other locations on the grounds with murals and public art installations created by international artists. Large-scale murals will adorn the walls facing Main and Bowery streets, and other works will form an “art park” adjacent to the theater.
The work begins this month when artists El Mac (Los Angeles-based Miles MacGregor) and Aiseborn, whose work draws on graphic arts and graffiti, will begin work on the Bowery Street wall facing Lock 4, while Detroit-based Louise Jones, aka Ouizi, starts work on the Main Street wall overlooking Lock 3. Glass artist Nancy Gong will create a piece on the elevator wall along the Main Street sidewalk by the entrance to the Civic arcade. The murals are expected to be done later this fall. As many as ten works of art are expected to e commissioned or acquired from local and regional artists, with a selection process to be announced in the next few months.
The project was launched after getting feedback from a range of community members and leaders, which guided the final selection of artists from more than 150. El Mac and Aiseborn spent a week in Akron in July, meeting with residents and learning more about the community.