Our arts and culture industry contributes $533M per year to our local economy. Cuyahoga Arts & Culture has provided over 4000 grants to 485 nonprofits, but the current cigarette tax revenue stream is drying up. It’s important that we vote YES on Issue 55 in Cuyahoga County to renew the levy and keep our region’s culture strong. There’s more to John D Morton than being the driving force behind the band electric eels, one of punk rock’s foundational groups. Turns out he moved to NYC by the end of the 70s and pursued art & poetry, which has been collected in a book released by Cleveland’s Stone Church Press.It’s easy to expand your world this week by registering for the 10th annual Inkubator free writing conference, take a walk through the woods at dusk and view a stellar sunset from the Emergent Tower at Holden Arboretum, catch first call percussionist Jamey Haddad at his regular gig at BOP STOP (which will no doubt sell out), bow down to the coolest band in the world, DEVO, at the two-day DEVOtional, join birders at Mentor Marsh for a week-long birding conference, and witness the explosion of creativity that culminates in the Burning of the Fish at the FireFish Festival in Lorain.
But there’s more. There’s the Tremont Arts & Culture Fest, the Sewer District’s Clean Water Festival, the Dark Wave Dance Cave, the Cleveland Pickle Fest, the Cleveland Photo Fest, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Molto Bella Auto Show, and the opening of the Uncommon Sounds Project season. Around here, less is definitely not more.
The award-winningTakács Quartet — now celebrating its 50th anniversary season — is joined by bandoneón/accordion virtuoso Julien Labro in concert on the Finney Chapel stage Sat 9/28 at 4:30PM.
This unexpected pairing is sure to captivate with innovative works by Bryce Dessner and Clarice Assad, plus original compositions and arrangements by Labro. Tickets: $10-$35. Read more.
After you’re done voting YES on Issue 1 to end the gerrymandering that has made Ohio a failed state, you can vote yes on Cuyahoga County Issue 55 to renew the tax on cigarettes, which funds hundreds of arts and cultural organizations and events in the county. The tax, which expires in 2027, has been bringing in declining revenue as people quit smoking, so the tax is also an increase on cigarettes.
Some point out that since smokers tend to be poorer and blacker, it’s an unfair burden on those least able to carry it. But this is the mechanism given to Cuyahoga County by a gerrymandered legislature with no concern for urban areas or the arts — another reason to vote YES on issue 1. In addition, money spent on the arts circulates throughout the community, since most of those engaged live and spend locally, creating other jobs. By comparison, professional football has no such economic benefit. Read more.
Join the Cleveland Museum of Natural History on Thu 9/19 at 6:30PM. In this talk, Dr. Jim Aronson will take us on a journey to Hadar, Ethiopia, the site of two famous fossil discoveries: “Lucy” and the “First Family” of hominins.
He’ll discuss the paleo-environment of Hadar 3 million years ago and share insights from his work, including how he dated fossils and uncovered clues about the lives and deaths of these early human ancestors. This is a unique opportunity to see a rare rock specimen and gain valuable knowledge about the origins of Homo sapiens! Read more.
As its main songwriter and guitarist, John D Morton was the engine behind the legendary and legendarily elusive band electric eels, one of a small cadre of Cleveland art-punk bands in the mid ’70s. By the end of the decade he moved to NYC where he has primarily focused on art and poetry. Some of that work has been gathered into the book I Am Not Real, released next month on Cleveland’s Stone Church Press. Read more.
An informal group of local artists dubbed Quest for the Fest has been meeting since early this year, exploring the idea of creating a new arts event. But for the immediate future, it’s joined an existing arts event, Ingenuity (September 27-29) to take over a space and promote local artists. That will include a video stream featuring projects people are working on — and anyone is welcome to submit an image or video of a work in progress.Learn how to submit here.
MON 9/23 Eat Outside While You Can
This is the second to last week for the Memorial Monday food event at Fort Huntington Park across from the Justice Center where you can enjoy food truck offerings and live music.
