As we move through our 21st year, it sometimes feels like CoolCleveland has seen it all. And then we’re stunned by the beauty of the blooms, the shock of losing a friend, the jaw-droppingly fabulous culture all around us.Listen in as CoolCleveland talks with educator, saxophonist and impresario Bobby Selvaggio as he introduces us to a brand-new performance, event and educational arts space in Akron. Be there to celebrate the life of George Hrbek, who opened his heart and dedicated his life to the kind of activism most people only pay lip service to. Then read with chagrin CoolCleveland’s special coverage of the latest divisive meeting of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, tasked with distributing arts tax money to artists and groups.
Food trucks are coming out of hibernation at Huntington Park and for Walnut Wednesdays. Volunteers are headed to the Big Creek watershed for a clean-up. Residents of the Coventry PEACE campus are putting on an art show and open mic.
Join artists & supporters for a networking night, roll out with Slow Roll Cleveland for their inaugural ride of the season, catch folk-goth duo Charming Disaster at Wizbang Theatre. And grab your tickets now for a Bowie Brunch on Sat 5/13 celebrating the artist’s creative triumph over his mental health concerns. And and enjoy a brunch with your concert. Things are literally exploding.
George Hrbek, who died in February at the age of 91, was known in Cleveland as a social justice advocate through his work with the Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry. He took seriously Jesus’ command to care about “the least of these”: the poor, homeless, disabled, formerly incarcerated.
But many Clevelanders were likely unaware of his decades of activism before he came to Cleveland in 1971: standing up to segregationists in Alabama, fighting for migrant workers in Oklahoma, attacking systemic racism in Chicago. All are welcome at his Celebration of Life at the Capitol Theatre this Saturday April 29 where you will undoubtedly hear even more about this remarkable man. Read more
Celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month and the 50th anniversary of David Bowie’s seminal Aladdin Sane album at the Bowie Brunch, a multimedia extravaganza on Sat 05/13 at noon at JUKEBOX, 1404 W. 29th Street in Ohio City.
Nosh with A Lad Insane as we explore the artist’s own psychological depths (suicide, death and madness populate his lyrics) with exclusive interviews by local mental health professionals and members of The Spiders From Mars as Vanity Crash explores Bowie’s deep cuts and hits, plus brand new originals. PHOTO: David Bowie in Cleveland, 1983 by Anastasia Pantsios.Read more.
Saxophonist Bobby Selvaggio teaches at Kent State University, books acts at Blu Jazz+ and has a fabulous solo career. Now he’s taking on running the new Highland Square Universal Gathering Place (HÜG), and Creative Arts Collaborative Center (C3).
In the heart of Akron’s Highland Square, HÜG is a former Jewish Temple envisioned by developer Tony Troppe into an event space, lofts, a performance venue and educational arts space. CoolCleveland caught up with Bobby on the main stage. Read more.
An hour into the meeting, following CAC Director of Administration Meg Harris’ proposal for auditing committee slate, CAC board member Charna Sherman made a motion to request accurate modeling and forecasting for future granting opportunities, given the deadline for a new tax levy. She said the CAC books and records are not in order and asked the audit committee to investigate artists’ funding.
Cleveland Arts Prize winner Robin VanLear, who attended the meeting, said afterward that the CAC felt secretive and wished the board members got along better. “They were talking about the $400,000 [for individual artist grants]. It has been the same for 15 years. There were years when they did not award it. I want to know when we get it back.” Read more
Lakewood Alive has announced the return of its popular Front Porch concert series at the downtown library for the 13th season, with seven diverse concerts starting June 2. It‘ll also be hosting two at the Madison Park Pavilion. All are free and family-friendly! Read more
Bike Cleveland’s signature event, its annual Fundo, takes place Saturday August 26, beginning and ending at Edgewater Park with three rides of different lengths so everyone can take part. If you register by Monday May 1 — that’s this week — you get a discount. Do it now! Read more
MON 5/1 Lunch Al Fresco The food trucks are coming out of hibernation as Downtown Cleveland Alliance kicks off two of its lunch events, with Memorial Monday at Huntington Park today and Walnut Wednesdays on May 3.
TUE 5/2 Strings Alive The Cleveland Chamber Music Society brings Israel’s Jerusalem quartet back for a return appearance.
WED 5/3 Talent Galore Local musician Brent Kirby has been hosting his 10 x 3 singer/songwriter nights for a decade now, and many talented area performers got their start there. They take place at the BOP STOP every other Wednesday.
Trying to be the most racist MAGA candidate in the Ohio GOP U.S.Senate primary next year, former luxury car dealer Bernie Morenohas come up with an attention-grabbing and historically outrageous idea: pay white people reparations for the noble work their ancestors did fighting the Civil War — to free slaves from other white people. “Where are the reparations for the people in the North who died to save the lives of Black people?” Moreno asked.
Not only were the actual Union soldiers amply rewarded after the war, they received benefits denied to the many Black soldiers who fought with them. “Moreno’s suggestion is so absurd and blatantly racist that it is hardly worth repeating,” says CoolCleveland columnist C. Ellen Connally, a American history expert working toward her PhD and president of the Cleveland Civil War Round Table. (Moreno has a bachelors degree in business administration.) “The only positive thing about Moreno is that he is a naturalized citizen. That means that he is ineligible to run for President.” Read more
