“My last few months have been difficult,” writes artist/arts advocate Liz Maugans. “To calm my nerves, a Kumbaya highlight for me has been hanging out with a fun and active group of creative people who are collaboratively building a festival. It is open to all who want to join in. Quest for the Fest is akin to the inventors of jello, a pick-up basketball game, swimming at the city pool, a NASA control room, and a Buc-Cees shopping experience—all at once.”

She goes on to share some of the podcasts and books she’s been delving into from creative thinkers who she says are “on the same wavelength, experiencing similar vibes in counterculture …Through a piecemeal, hodgepodge, rainbow soft-swirl approach, I incorporated the wellspring of their ideas with the opportunities that are possible here on the North Coast into Quest for the Fest to soothe my exhausted soul.” Read more.

Cuyahoga County Democratic Party Chair David Brock addressed the Lakewood Democratic Club at the Lakewood Public Library and spoke with CoolCleveland about priorities during this critical election year: supporting the re-election campaigns of Senator Sherrod Brown’s and Ohio Supreme Court justices Melody Stewart & Michael Donnelly and the campaign of Judge Lisa Forbes for the Ohio Supreme Court.

Regardless of the recent debates about the future of the Democratic Party, Brock points out that Democrats win on the issues that matter to most people: a strong economy, support of women’s reproductive rights and health care. Read more.

The Cleveland International Piano Competition is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year as one of the world’s premiere piano competitions. Its sponsoring organization, Piano Cleveland, is marking the occasion by placing golden pianos at six public locations around the city, including Cleveland City Hall, the downtown Public Library and Playhouse Square’s Connor Palace Theatre. Mini-concerts will take place at all the locations, and the rest of the time, YOU can go play them and enjoy the applause or taunts of passers-by!  Read more.

A beloved local fiber artist and CIA professor for nearly 40 years, Tina Cassara passed away 6/17, months after suffering a traumatic head injury, leaving many bereft and grieving along with her husband filmmaker/journalist Bruce Checefsky. All are invited to attend a memorial for Tina taking place at Praxis Fiber Workshop on Sun 8/25; any donations to Praxis in her memory will be greatly appreciated. Read more.

Since December the Ohio anti-gerrymandering, pro-democracy group Citizens Not Politicians has been collecting signatures to place an issue on the November ballot that would take district-drawing power out of the hands of politicians and place it in a nonpartisan citizens commission. That would end politicians drawing maps to favor themselves and their party.

On Monday the group turned in its petitions at the Secretary of State’s office in Columbus, just prior to the July 3 deadline. It requires 413,487 valid signatures; they turned in 80% more so it’s virtually certain to be on the ballot. Expect a nasty campaign to try to defeat it, as Republicans try to cling to their outsized power which silences all opposing voices and positions. But if it passes, it would be transformational for the state: more serious discussion about funding education for all kids and less pointless nattering about drag queen story hours. Read more. 

In part 2, CoolCleveland Correspondent Liv Lewis interviews Kimmy Kat. Kimmy shares her experience as a performer, artist and seasoned drag queen. Watch Kimmy describe her perspective as one of three Cleveland openers for Chappell Roan on the Midwest Princess tour. See Kimmy Kat perform for yourself, on Sat 7/6 at No Class from noon-6pm. Read more.