01.21-01.28.2026 What Matters

 

 

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What Matters

01.21-01.28.26

If you’re wondering what’s important over the next seven days, look no further. Whether it’s film (A Bird in the Hand about 100,000 birds banded & studied, screens at the Capitol) or books (Cle-based author Paula McLain speaks at CCPL), or jazz (Oberlin’s Sonny Rollins Jazz Ensemble at CMA), or photography (Yards Projects’ Past, Present Portraits from The Land), or rock (Lottery League vets perform at Grog Shop), or social justice (author of The Privileged Poor speaks at CWRU MLK Convocation), or poetry (five local poets read their work at Visible Voice), or radio (WJCU hosts Blizzard Bash to benefit the Hunger Network), or campfire stories (cozy outdoor storytime at F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm Campfire Area), or the environment (film on the impact of plastics on the Great Lakes at the Cedar-Lee), or mixed media (a “wonder-filled workshop” on neurotechnology at the Akron Soul Train), we’ve got you covered.

So have you heard that Cleveland’s cultural standing has dropped significantly in the SMU Arts Vibrancy Rankings? CoolCleveland’s Bruce Checefsky has the in-depth story from all angles. The Tri-C JazzFest (June 25-27) has their first new director in 15 years and they are offering early bird passes now. And applications are now open for the county Medical Examiner’s Citizen Academy, an eye-opening class taken by CoolCleveland’s C. Ellen Connally last year. You can count on CoolCleveland to keep things relevant.

-Thomas Mulready

CoolCleveland.com 

Photo by Thomas Mulready

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FEATURE

 

 CLEVELAND’S CULTURAL
STANDING DROPS 

The SMU index measures arts supply, demand, public support, cost of living, and population size. In past years, Cleveland reached as high as 12th among large communities, yet falls behind for independent artists and arts-based businesses, ranking 32nd of 39 and 233rd overall.Cleveland ranked 50th overall and 23rd among large communities in the 2025 SMU Arts Vibrancy Rankin, reports CoolCleveland cultural reporter Bruce Checefsky.

Sean Watterson, co-owner of Happy Dog and head of the Cleveland Independent Venue Association, agrees that Cleveland is near the top in some of the nonprofit categories but “near the bottom in the individual artist and arts-based industries. The numbers for arts and cultural firms, or for-profit businesses, are even worse,” said Watterson. “We rank 37th among large communities and 243rd overall. The biggest room for improvement is helping individual and independent artists and art-based industries.”

 

NEWS

 

 LEARN ABOUT
FORENSIC SCIENCE 

Last spring, CoolCleveland columnist C. Ellen Connally told us about her experience as a member of the Medical Examiner’s Office Citizens Academy, which educates members of the public on what the office does. She said, “Each week, the program focuses on a specific topic ranging from forensic pathology, toxicology, death investigations, fingerprint analysis, drug chemistry, trace evidence and epidemiology. The lectures were comprehensive and frequently hands-on.” Applications are now open for the competitive class, with the next session starting April 2. Deadline for applying is March 6.

 

 JAZZFEST OFFERS PASSES 

The 47th Tri-C JazzFest is June 25-27, but festival passes are already on sale, allowing holders access to all events. No, the lineup hasn’t been announced yet, but you know it’ll be good. And this is the first JazzFest in 15 years to be helmed by a new director, following the retirement of Terri Pontremoli. Cleveland native Orlando Watson, a musician as well as a programmer and producer of festivals and events, has taken over as the event’s youngest director ever at age 34. He’s no stranger to the event: he was its associate director from 2019-2022.

WEDNESDAY
1/21

 

The film A Bird in the Hand follows a pair of bird banders as they attempt to learn more about the habits and lives of birds, banding more than 100,000 in northeast Ohio in 50 years. The film screens at the Capitol Theatre with a panel afterward featuring the film’s directors, the bird bander and other devoted to such conservation efforts.

 MORE on WEDNESDAY… 

 

THURSDAY
1/22

 

Cleveland artist Jason Toth’s images are photo-based, but they’re not strictly photographs. They’re highly manipulated to produce intricate, brilliantly colored images that add a new perspective to some familiar local scenes. He’ll show his work and talk about it at Art House’s Community Culture Night.

 MORE on THURSDAY… 

FRIDAY
1/23

 

The triennial Lottery League, which features temporary bands thrown together in a drawing for a one-night show, always includes a handful who decide to stay together and build on that ten-minute set. A group of these bands from the 2024 Lottery League performs at the Grog Shop tonight.

 MORE on FRIDAY… 

 

 

SATURDAY
1/24

 

 The Musical Theater Project and the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra join forces for their annual show together, this one paying tribute to the great Tin Pan Alley composer Hoagy Carmichael, who penned dozens of hits in the 30s, 40s and 50s (“Stardust,” “Heart and Soul,” “Georgia on my Mind”). They’ll tell his story in performance, narration, video clips and photos at the Maltz Performing Arts Center.

 MORE on SATURDAY… 

 

SUNDAY
1/25

 

There’s an 1858 building in South Newbury built in response to a church across the street cancelling a speech by future president James A. Garfield because it was “too controversial.” (Sadly, this sounds familiar.) A group of citizens hosted him and built South Newbury Union Chapel. Today Geauga Park District hosts a program about the chapel’s history of championing progressive causes and free speech.   

 MORE on SUNDAY… 

 

MONDAY
1/26

 

It might seem a little odd that three white guys in Cleveland would form an ensemble called the West African Percussion trio. But African and Afro-Caribbean music inspired them to explore the connections between that music and western contemporary music. They’re playing a free concert for the Rocky River Chamber Music Society.

TUESDAY
1/27

 

The Cleveland Museum of Art’s current special exhibition is called Renaissance to Runway: The Enduring Italian Houses. It connects 20th century and contemporary Italian couture to its influences, with lavish displays of modern costumes as well as old jewelry and textiles, much of it from CMA’s own collection. But the show only runs through February 1. You’ll be kicking yourself if you missed it.

 

WEDNESDAY
1/28

 

 Saelyx Finna, filmmaker and explorer of dream neurotechnology, currently has a show of mixed-media work on view at Akron Soul Train called Dreams Travel Wonderous Wires. This evening, she’ll host a “wonder-filled workshop” at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens on the connection between dreams and productivity. 

 MORE on WEDNESDAY… 

BACKTALK

 

Be consequential.-Thomas Mulready
CoolCleveland.com

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