The vaccine is starting to roll out, new leadership is arriving, and each day sees a little more sunshine than the last. A few of our major attractions like the Rock Hall and the CMA are re-opening safely. World-travelers Welshly Arms continue to record and release new music. We even have an author discussing “nature deficit disorder” and what you can do about it.
Look forward to a brand-new spirit in our government, with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris taking office, and much to be hopeful about in our region. Freshen up as the Oberlin Trio introduces a new cellist, David Giffels launches his new book, and BOP STOP debuts a new weekly concert radio show.
Heights Arts addresses racial equity and justice, and humorist Ron Hill offers a fresh take on a dark time, while the first woman to walk in space delivers her memoir virtually.
We’ll have a fresh start, free of hourly social media drama from Washington, while Mansfield offers five solid essays in civics as we remain vigilant. You can even apologize for the ex-president at SPACES with their participatory Augmented Reality project. Breathe deeply.
It’s been an eventful few weeks, to say the least. Many have been so caught up in current events, they haven’t found the time to celebrate.
Now, by popular demand, the recent two livestreams of A Lad Insane: The Beautiful Mind of David Bowie, are now available for viewing on demand through the end of January. Part 1 and Part 2 are completely different shows, with a new selection of Bowie and original music by Vanity Crash, alternate interviews and unique clips of the artist.
“Fierce Girls,” an art quilt by Barbara Eady, is one of 47 works on view in Wasmer Gallery’s New Masters 2: Women Artists of Northeast Ohio. See for yourself at https://bit.ly/3npfxsv.
One group that may not benefit from the outgoing president’s departure and a new, less chaotic administration is humorists. When the world is going crazy, comedians, cartoonists and late-night talk show hosts feast. Cleveland news cartoonist Ron Hill has collected his 2020 panels in a new book about that “Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Year.” Lots of COVID! Read More
The Rock Hall has been offering tons of online content, but it’s good news that it’s reopened to the public so people can see exhibits such as It’s Been Said All Along about how musical artists have addressed race & justice issues, and the work of original Rolling Stone photographer Baron Wolman. Read More
Cleveland’s Welshly Arms have toured across the U.S. and Europe extensively— just not this year. But they’ve had time to write, record and release a string of singles, including their first of 2021, an upbeat soul/rock anthem called “I Will Overcome.” Read More
Lake Erie Ink offers writing classes for kids, youth and even adults. It’s kicking off its winter season of classes, workshops & events with a playwriting workshop in conjunction with Dobama Theatre and its kids playwriting festival. Read More
Fear in America
If citizens and elected officials of red districts are so fearful of their constituencies, neighbors and so-called friends, they should be joining in the nationwide effort to identify the insurrectionists that stormed the Capitol Building and bring them to justice, if for no other reason than their own personal… Read MoreThe End of Trumpism
We now are confronted with the Herculean task of taking on the beast of bigotry and wrestling it to ground. This will by no means be easy, and the extent to which we can rid the country of the “isms” that have been freighting us down for centuries is an open question. If we could somehow get rid of… Read MoreThis Cold Bum Is Trying to Come Back
As if he didn’t do enough damage to Ward 7 when he served as councilman for over seven years after Fannie Lewis’ death, TJ Dow is planning another run for city council. His flier came in the mail this morning. What’s the matter, he didn’t do enough damage the first time around?… Read MoreWho’s Next?
Nonetheless, the debate rages on while the number of sicknesses and deaths continue to climb. While the pandemic has caused the life expectancy of white Americans to decrease from 78 to 77 years, the life-expectancy of blacks has decreased by two years, and Hispanics now have… Read MoreWhite Privilege on Trial
As our nation grapples with the aftermath of a staged attempt at a violent coup led by the President of the United States, it’s become increasingly clear who and what the culprit really is: The American penchant for granting passes to whites for all sorts of noxious, dangerous and now destabilizing behaviors… Read More
