Asymptomatic means you don’t have symptoms. An asymptote is a curved line that approaches, but never touches, a straight line. Someone who is asymptotic is a person who earnestly works on self awareness, getting closer and closer to defining themselves every day. A region that constantly improves, but is never perfect. While we are certainly not asymptomatic, we should strive to be asymptotic.As we explore ways to understand and celebrate our local culture, the Juneteenth holiday takes center stage this week, with festivities across the region. Especially significant is the African-American Cultural Garden dedicating a marker as part of the Cleveland Civil Rights Trail. Akron’s Soul Train residency program steps out with a members show. Superbness.
Cleveland Arts Prize hosts a tour of the Union Club’s art collection; the Cleveland Rose Society holds their annual show at the Botanical Garden; the City Club’s open-air forums are back on Public Square; the Beachland Summer Flea is back; Dancing Wheels honors Black women jazz singers; and Akron Recording Company celebrates their 5th anniversary with a party. Flawlessness.
Registration deadline is July 10 and early voting starts July 11 to VOTE NO on Issue 1 which would drastically curtail the ability of Ohio voters to enact citizen initiatives, such as the measure that is planned for the ballot in November to protect women’s reproductive rights. Sign that petition if you haven’t already, vote early, and help make our region a little more perfect.
The MetroHealth Cleveland Juneteenth Freedom Fest is set to become an annual destination event in Downtown Cleveland, poised to position our community as a national leader in celebrating Juneteenth, right here in The Land of Never-Ending Celebrations. #ThisisCLE
An opening night event featuring a fireworks display is set to take place on Fri., 6/16, 6-10PM, with a day of performances, food, art and other festivities happening on Sat., 6/17, from 10AM-6PM on Mall C.
The city-wide, family-friendly celebration features performances by Karamu House, Siaara Freeman, Hubbs Groove, 216 Stix and Raven Rae, plus sets from Kid Capri and DJ Lily Jade. Read more.
The business of creating art can be messy and unremunerative. But running nonprofit organizations that promote the arts often earns very public kudos and back pats, the kind of attention that attracts funding.
Reporter/artist Bruce Checefsky attended a forum hosted by the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, sitting in on a panel on the topic of making Cleveland’s art scene more international. He found a focus on bringing more international art to Cleveland, rather than expanding the reach of the talent pool here. And he found that nonprofits made up the entire arts panel, with artists and creative businesses not represented. Read more.
For one sparkling summer day in Lakewood, Detroit Avenue from Belle to Arthur closes and becomes a creative oasis and brings together artists of all disciplines on Sat 8/5.
The Lakewood Arts Festival was originally founded to fund an annual scholarship for Lakewood seniors continuing to art school. This year’s winner is Eliza Dreger who will major in Studio Art at Ohio University.
Additional grants for arts funding include The Barton Center, Beck Center, Lakewood High School Theater program and more. To support scholarship giving, make a donation at www.lakewoodartsfest.orgRead more.
As Republican elected officials in Ohio work feverishly to silence the voice of the state’s citizens forever, voters have a last-ditch chance to make their voices heard. First of all, if you haven’t signed the petition to put reproductive rights on the November ballot, do it now. Signatures must be in by July 5. Click on our article to find out where to sign.
Second, if you want that issue to pass if it gathers 50% of the voters & not require the high bar of 60%, you must vote NO on Issue 1 in the August 8 election, a ballot issue cooked up by those Republican officials to prevent the reproductive rights issue from passing. Registration deadline is July 10; early voting starts July 11. You can vote in person, vote by mail or vote at your polling place but be sure to vote NO to canceling democracy in Ohio. Read more.
The 4th annual Cleveland Photo Fest moves back to its original September slot this year, again taking place at the Bostwick Design Art Initiative near the CSU campus. It will feature six separate shows, including one the public can be part of, along with multiple evenings of special programing, starting with an opening reception September 1. Read more
Every June, long-time CoolCleveland columnist Mansfield Frazier would republish his piece , “Coming of Age in the Ghetto: A Father’s Day Tribute” recalling the lessons he learned from his own father. He sometimes updated it a little, adding new insights that occurred to him, but basically he told the same story each year, about a turning point in his life when his father demonstrated to him how to stand up for your rights with dignity.
Mansfield passed away in October, 2021 and is much missed. His own path to fatherhood wasn’t smooth, but he cherished his daughters. His last column appeared in June, 2021, and we’re running it again this year because his insights are timeless. Read more
