Akron artists have dug deep and come up with innovative ideas that use the city as their canvas for its first Knight Arts Challenge, from which 27 winning projects have emerged.
The winners, who will be celebrated Tuesday night at the Akron Civic Theatre, will share $1 million in matching grant money to launch projects in neighborhoods throughout Akron. They include everything from a new Nepali-American performance festival and open-air market in North Hill, to turning the Akron Symphony office’s garage bay in the Northside Arts District into a “garage band” stage for open-mic events and jam sessions.
Akron’s first batch of winners has a strong visual art component — 10 projects. Other winners work in music, film, poetry, theater, dance and craft-making.
Projects such as a mobile glass studio that travels to schools, and an Akron Street Art Project that will bring public art downtown, not only build artists’ skills and self-expression but also engage the community in different ways, said Victoria Rogers, vice president for arts at the Knight Foundation.
“It’s ideas that are helping bring art more deeply into neighborhoods,’’ she said.
Visual arts organizations won a total of $512,050 in grants, with the largest, $150,000, going to the Akron Soul Train project. It will transform refurbished passenger rail cars, tiny houses and shipping containers into housing, galleries and studio space for artists.
Nancy Brennan of Kasota Artist Management is partnering with Amy Mothersbaugh of Studio 2091 on the project, which is inspired by Akron’s history of transportation and innovation. The proposed location is near the Towpath Trail/Mustill Store on Canal Street.
Artists may apply for fellowships of one, three and six months, and weekend or weeklong residencies. Recipients will contribute through proceeds from sales of their art, fees for workshops and monthly events. The proposed village will provide community programs and educational outreach. It is modeled after the eco-friendly Tiny House movement.
Rogers said all 27 grant recipients have come up with projects that are authentic to the city, including Akron Soul Train. “It’s taking something that was really important to Akron, recognizing the need for housing for artists and creating this mini art city,’’ she said.
Kyle Kutuchief, Akron program director for the Knight Foundation, said the timing for 27 new arts projects couldn’t be better for the city.
“To me, the wonderful thing about this competition for Akron is the timing. You have a city hall with the first newly elected mayor in 28 years. You have this renewed interest in what’s positive in Akron,’’ Kutuchief said. “It’s going to be a real splash in Akron. … To continue to accelerate momentum in the arts is really exciting.”
Akron is the fourth Knight Arts Challenge City, after Miami, Detroit and St. Paul. The challenge is a three-year effort to fund arts ideas to enrich the city.
The second year of the Akron challenge will launch April 4 to synchronize with the other Knight Arts cities, and will award another $1 million to a new group of winners. The foundation will host community conversations in Akron April 11-15 to guide applicants.
The only rules are: The idea must be about the arts, the project must take place in or benefit Akron, and the recipients must find funds to match Knight’s commitment. Applications will be accepted through May 2. See http://KnightArts.org for information.
Arts writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.