Tremont
Recent transplants to Cleveland arriving from so-called "big-ticket" metropolitan markets say that they are experiencing appreciable cost savings in terms of housing, transportation, entertainment and food. And that translates to a better standard of life with little lost in terms of quantity and quality of offerings.
It's crunch time, folks! In less than three weeks, the 2012 holiday season will be a memory. We feel your pain. To help, we've stitched together a provocative assortment of gift ideas that should knock out your list in no time flat. This year, keep it fresh, keep it tasty, keep it local.
steelers fans offered taste of cleveland
Offered as a sort of travel guide to travelling Pittsburgh Steelers fans, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently ran a feature titled "On the road with the Steelers: Cleveland."
Writer Gretchen McKay does a great job providing tips on where to eat, drink and enjoy the scene in Cleveland.
"A growing foodie destination with a landmark public market and a lively arts community, there's plenty of fun in store for the weekend traveler. So much, in fact, that Travel and Leisure named it one of America's 'favorite cities' in 2009 for affordability and its rockin' music scene: in addition to one of the world's best-known music museums, it boasts a renowned orchestra," writes McKay.
As for foodie-friendly spots, McKay writes:
"Many of the best tastes of Cleveland can be found in its historic West Side Market in an arched NeoClassical/Byzantine building in the Ohio City neighborhood. In October, the public market celebrated its 100th birthday with a parade, but every day here feels like a celebration for food lovers. Home to more than 100 vendors that show off the city's ethnic diversity -- you'll find everything from Old World smoked meats and pierogies to produce and gourmet cheeses to a French creperie serving to-order sweet and savory crepes -- it's been featured on the Travel Channel and Food Network."
"Even though Cleveland and Pittsburgh have similar demographics, Cleveland's food scene has a higher national profile. As former PG restaurant critic China Millman pointed out in a 2010 travel story, the food here really rocks."
Read the rest of the article here.
Writer Gretchen McKay does a great job providing tips on where to eat, drink and enjoy the scene in Cleveland.
"A growing foodie destination with a landmark public market and a lively arts community, there's plenty of fun in store for the weekend traveler. So much, in fact, that Travel and Leisure named it one of America's 'favorite cities' in 2009 for affordability and its rockin' music scene: in addition to one of the world's best-known music museums, it boasts a renowned orchestra," writes McKay.
As for foodie-friendly spots, McKay writes:
"Many of the best tastes of Cleveland can be found in its historic West Side Market in an arched NeoClassical/Byzantine building in the Ohio City neighborhood. In October, the public market celebrated its 100th birthday with a parade, but every day here feels like a celebration for food lovers. Home to more than 100 vendors that show off the city's ethnic diversity -- you'll find everything from Old World smoked meats and pierogies to produce and gourmet cheeses to a French creperie serving to-order sweet and savory crepes -- it's been featured on the Travel Channel and Food Network."
"Even though Cleveland and Pittsburgh have similar demographics, Cleveland's food scene has a higher national profile. As former PG restaurant critic China Millman pointed out in a 2010 travel story, the food here really rocks."
Read the rest of the article here.
To be truly successful at neighborhood redevelopment, CDCs must change how they do business, says Joel Ratner, president of Neighborhood Progress Inc. They must adopt a holistic strategy that combines bricks-and-mortar development with high-performing schools, social services, and other amenities that residents need and want.
vision for local food system outlined in artsy animation
This animated video premiered at the 4th Annual Sustainable Cleveland Summit in September.
"It illustrates the vision for a local and sustainable food system in the Cleveland region, and how people can get involved," explains Jenita McGowan of the Mayor's Office of Sustainability "As part of the Sustainable Cleveland 2019 year of local foods celebration, we wanted to create a video that is fun, simple and easy to understand. It is our goal that this video resonates specifically with residents of Northeast Ohio using recognizable icons, such as the West Side Market.”
This animated video premiered at the 4th Annual Sustainable Cleveland Summit in September.
"It illustrates the vision for a local and sustainable food system in the Cleveland region, and how people can get involved," explains Jenita McGowan of the Mayor's Office of Sustainability "As part of the Sustainable Cleveland 2019 year of local foods celebration, we wanted to create a video that is fun, simple and easy to understand. It is our goal that this video resonates specifically with residents of Northeast Ohio using recognizable icons, such as the West Side Market.”
eater does 'heat check' on cleveland dining scene
Eater, a national website covering food, drink and chefs, published a list of the go-to places in Cleveland to eat right now.
“It's been over a year since we last looked at Cleveland's hottest restaurants, so today we circle back and focus on ten new openings that have been garnering serious buzz,” writes Gabe Ulla of Eater.
Food writer and Fresh Water managing editor Douglas Trattner clues Ulla in on some of the newest, hottest dining spots Cleveland has to offer.
“Among the choices: a very tasty restaurant that borrows from Korea, Japan, and several other Asian countries (Accent), an excellent sit-down taco and margaritas spot (Barrio), food truck man Chris Hodgson's new brick-and-mortar (Hodge's), and a place that bills itself as "pan-Southern" (SoHo Kitchen and Bar).”
“It's been over a year since we last looked at Cleveland's hottest restaurants, so today we circle back and focus on ten new openings that have been garnering serious buzz,” writes Gabe Ulla of Eater.
Food writer and Fresh Water managing editor Douglas Trattner clues Ulla in on some of the newest, hottest dining spots Cleveland has to offer.
“Among the choices: a very tasty restaurant that borrows from Korea, Japan, and several other Asian countries (Accent), an excellent sit-down taco and margaritas spot (Barrio), food truck man Chris Hodgson's new brick-and-mortar (Hodge's), and a place that bills itself as "pan-Southern" (SoHo Kitchen and Bar).”
Check out the full piece chock full of information and details here.
Cleveland’s contemporary art scene is thriving and growing, serving as a magnet for tourism while proving an economic engine for revitalizing the region. Newly reenergized by momentous advancements at CMA and MOCA -- and nurtured along by CIA -- the progressive arts scene is enjoying a renaissance.
By design, the life of a celebrity looks effortless. But the engine that drives that lifestyle is a non-stop schedule that would sap the strength of far weaker men. I know, because I tried to keep up with celebrity chef Michael Symon during a recent visit home that included business meetings, book signings, restaurant visits and too-brief social get-togethers.
A school garden is a real, living world, a type of lab that offers teachers a way to embed creativity, collaboration and love for nature into their curriculum, believes Carlton Jackson, a farmer, self-described "food evangelist" and proprietor of Tunnel Vision Hoops, a provider of hoop houses that allow for year-round food production.
The Cleveland-based company is offering Cuyahoga County public school students grades K-8 a chance to win a hoop house for their school. The Gardens that Teach contest, which runs through February, asks students a series of questions about the preparation, construction and maintenance of a theoretical school garden. Answers will be reviewed by a panel of experts from the realms of food policy, botany and community gardening.
The winning school will receive the greenhouse-like hoop house, while the other participants will learn about the benefits of plants, year-round gardening and healthy eating, says Jackson. "We wanted kids to use their math skills," he adds. For example, "how many pounds of tomatoes can they get? What will the do with the food once it's grown?"
Hoop houses provide a high-temperature environment that protects crops from strong winds, cold and frost, allowing fruits and vegetables to grow during gardening's so-called "off-season," Jackson says.
The concept also is in line with the city's Sustainable Cleveland 2019 project, a movement that in part aims to increase the percentage of locally produced food. Mayor Frank Jackson also proclaimed October 24 to be Food Day, a national venture with the overriding objective of "eating real" and promoting healthy diets among the population.
The Gardens That Teach contest is certainly a nourishing exercise for Northeast Ohio's young students, says Jackson.
"There's a wonderment in watching something grow," he says. "If we can kids back to that, it would be a beautiful thing."
SOURCE: Carlton Jackson
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
The Cleveland-based company is offering Cuyahoga County public school students grades K-8 a chance to win a hoop house for their school. The Gardens that Teach contest, which runs through February, asks students a series of questions about the preparation, construction and maintenance of a theoretical school garden. Answers will be reviewed by a panel of experts from the realms of food policy, botany and community gardening.
The winning school will receive the greenhouse-like hoop house, while the other participants will learn about the benefits of plants, year-round gardening and healthy eating, says Jackson. "We wanted kids to use their math skills," he adds. For example, "how many pounds of tomatoes can they get? What will the do with the food once it's grown?"
Hoop houses provide a high-temperature environment that protects crops from strong winds, cold and frost, allowing fruits and vegetables to grow during gardening's so-called "off-season," Jackson says.
The concept also is in line with the city's Sustainable Cleveland 2019 project, a movement that in part aims to increase the percentage of locally produced food. Mayor Frank Jackson also proclaimed October 24 to be Food Day, a national venture with the overriding objective of "eating real" and promoting healthy diets among the population.
The Gardens That Teach contest is certainly a nourishing exercise for Northeast Ohio's young students, says Jackson.
"There's a wonderment in watching something grow," he says. "If we can kids back to that, it would be a beautiful thing."
SOURCE: Carlton Jackson
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
mag for meeting planners points travelers to cleveland
Writing for Meetings Focus, a publication geared to professional meeting planners, Kelsey Farabee writes that "Northeast Ohio is booming. New venues and hotels are sprouting up throughout the region and visitors are pouring in, so planners seeking an energetic, bustling host city should look no further than the seat of Cuyahoga County."
The article, titled "Cure for the Common City," describes at length all the recent development that has taken place over the past few years. Mentioned within are the Medical Mart and convention center, "Cleveland’s burgeoning food scene," and Horseshoe Casino Cleveland.
Also described is the new Museum of Contemporary Art, about which Farabee writes, "Adding to the city’s cultural panache is the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Cleveland, which unveiled an enormous $350 million expansion this month. The new 34,000-square-foot structure has a distinctive mirrored exterior and is 44 percent larger than the museum’s previous location. The four-story building has a startling geometric footprint, rising from a hexagonal base to a square top, with exhibitions and space for public programs on all four floors."
Read the rest right here.
The article, titled "Cure for the Common City," describes at length all the recent development that has taken place over the past few years. Mentioned within are the Medical Mart and convention center, "Cleveland’s burgeoning food scene," and Horseshoe Casino Cleveland.
Also described is the new Museum of Contemporary Art, about which Farabee writes, "Adding to the city’s cultural panache is the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Cleveland, which unveiled an enormous $350 million expansion this month. The new 34,000-square-foot structure has a distinctive mirrored exterior and is 44 percent larger than the museum’s previous location. The four-story building has a startling geometric footprint, rising from a hexagonal base to a square top, with exhibitions and space for public programs on all four floors."
Read the rest right here.
When it comes to his new takeout restaurant Crust, chef Jeff Fisher is ambivalent about just one thing: calling it a pizza place. With its homemade gnocci, unique sub sandwiches, killer salads and made-from scratch pizzas, it's so much more than that, he says.
Crust, located at 1020 Kenilworth across from Visible Voice Books, aims to capitalize on Tremont's foodie reputation with takeout worthy of its fine dining and bar scene. The pickup counter alone stimulates your tastebuds: With no separation between the kitchen and ordering area, patrons can watch as their foods are being made.
"You're up on stage with us from the minute you walk in the door, watching us work on the orders," says Fisher. "There's a little bit of showmanship going on."
Fisher launched Crust with owner Mike Griffin, who also boasts about the recipes. "It took us three months and four hundred pounds of flour to get the right dough recipe," he says. "Even though it's takeout, everything is from scratch."
Many of the ingredients are sourced locally from the Tremont Farmers Market. Patrons can order pizza by the pie or slice. The big 15-inchers are a nod to the famous New York slice: So large they hang out of the box.
"People have been getting a pizza, taking it across the street to Visible Voice, and having a glass of wine," says Griffin, who originally found the location when his cousin, Visible Voice owner Dave Ferrante, contacted him.
As for how business has been since opening? "So far, so good," notes Griffin.
Source: Jeff Fisher, Mike Griffin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Crust, located at 1020 Kenilworth across from Visible Voice Books, aims to capitalize on Tremont's foodie reputation with takeout worthy of its fine dining and bar scene. The pickup counter alone stimulates your tastebuds: With no separation between the kitchen and ordering area, patrons can watch as their foods are being made.
"You're up on stage with us from the minute you walk in the door, watching us work on the orders," says Fisher. "There's a little bit of showmanship going on."
Fisher launched Crust with owner Mike Griffin, who also boasts about the recipes. "It took us three months and four hundred pounds of flour to get the right dough recipe," he says. "Even though it's takeout, everything is from scratch."
Many of the ingredients are sourced locally from the Tremont Farmers Market. Patrons can order pizza by the pie or slice. The big 15-inchers are a nod to the famous New York slice: So large they hang out of the box.
"People have been getting a pizza, taking it across the street to Visible Voice, and having a glass of wine," says Griffin, who originally found the location when his cousin, Visible Voice owner Dave Ferrante, contacted him.
As for how business has been since opening? "So far, so good," notes Griffin.
Source: Jeff Fisher, Mike Griffin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
columbus food writer full of love for cleveland culinary scene
Following a recent trip to Cleveland, where apparently he visited half the restaurants in town, notable Columbus food blogger Jim Ellison of CMH Gourmand filed a glowing dispatch.
"I am at the halfway point in my Palette to Palate Tour of Cleveland with Positively Cleveland. I am touring with writers from LA, Detroit, Baltimore, Toronto and Columbus. Our collective opinion so far, we love Cleveland. Not a big surprise for most of us. What might be a surprise is that in spite of all I am doing, there is so much more to do and see and especially eat, that I am not even scratching the surface of this city."
Later he adds, "In the back of my mind, I can’t avoid the inclination to compare and contrast Columbus with Cleveland. My track record shows that I am a champion of my city of birth but on this trip, even though not completed, I will say that the culinary community of Cleveland kicks that of Columbus in the ass. Cleveland may have a little more in the quantity, I would say a head to head tie for quality, but where the win occurs in the spirit of collaboration and cheerleading among chefs here for each other and a desire to keep raising the bar."
His dizzying schedule included stops at Greenhouse Tavern, Spaces Gallery, Sweet Moses, Muse in the Ritz Carlton, Ohio City Urban Farm, West Side Market, Sokolowski’s, Crop Bistro, Cleveland Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art, and many more.
Read his missive here.
"I am at the halfway point in my Palette to Palate Tour of Cleveland with Positively Cleveland. I am touring with writers from LA, Detroit, Baltimore, Toronto and Columbus. Our collective opinion so far, we love Cleveland. Not a big surprise for most of us. What might be a surprise is that in spite of all I am doing, there is so much more to do and see and especially eat, that I am not even scratching the surface of this city."
Later he adds, "In the back of my mind, I can’t avoid the inclination to compare and contrast Columbus with Cleveland. My track record shows that I am a champion of my city of birth but on this trip, even though not completed, I will say that the culinary community of Cleveland kicks that of Columbus in the ass. Cleveland may have a little more in the quantity, I would say a head to head tie for quality, but where the win occurs in the spirit of collaboration and cheerleading among chefs here for each other and a desire to keep raising the bar."
His dizzying schedule included stops at Greenhouse Tavern, Spaces Gallery, Sweet Moses, Muse in the Ritz Carlton, Ohio City Urban Farm, West Side Market, Sokolowski’s, Crop Bistro, Cleveland Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art, and many more.
Read his missive here.
msn travel writer calls cleveland 'america's big comeback story'
Writing for MSN Travel, Ken Hegan, a screenwriter and journalist, calls Cleveland "America's big comeback story."
"Never thought I'd ever say this but I just fell in love with Cleveland, Ohio. Now I kinda want to move there," he writes.
Following a brief and painful history lesson, Hegan gets to the good stuff:
"The city's entering a period of 'unprecedented growth. The river's cleaned up, there's a thriving medical industry, houses are cheap, artists can rent old brick warehouse spaces for the price of a Manhattan coffee, the city's enjoying a culinary boom, plus there's a museum devoted to polka music and a festival celebrating duct tape."
"The city's rebuilding and expanding with billions of dollars in new tourism infrastructure that includes a $26-million Museum of Art, new boutique hotels, a new medical convention center... The city is also looking forward to hosting the Summer National Senior Games (July 2013), and The International Gay Games (2014)."
Hegan closes with a bold assertion:
"If I was an artist in America right now (or anyone who wants to live cheaply in The Next Great American City), I wouldn't pay a fortune to starve in Brooklyn. Instead, I'd live like a king, rent an inexpensive brick Cleveland studio, and turn that into a factory of art."
Read the rest here.
"Never thought I'd ever say this but I just fell in love with Cleveland, Ohio. Now I kinda want to move there," he writes.
Following a brief and painful history lesson, Hegan gets to the good stuff:
"The city's entering a period of 'unprecedented growth. The river's cleaned up, there's a thriving medical industry, houses are cheap, artists can rent old brick warehouse spaces for the price of a Manhattan coffee, the city's enjoying a culinary boom, plus there's a museum devoted to polka music and a festival celebrating duct tape."
"The city's rebuilding and expanding with billions of dollars in new tourism infrastructure that includes a $26-million Museum of Art, new boutique hotels, a new medical convention center... The city is also looking forward to hosting the Summer National Senior Games (July 2013), and The International Gay Games (2014)."
Hegan closes with a bold assertion:
"If I was an artist in America right now (or anyone who wants to live cheaply in The Next Great American City), I wouldn't pay a fortune to starve in Brooklyn. Instead, I'd live like a king, rent an inexpensive brick Cleveland studio, and turn that into a factory of art."
Read the rest here.
wired mag reviews tremont electric's n-power peg
Wired magazine gets its hands on Tremont Electric’s nPower PEG, and gives it the onec over.
Titled "Need to Gas Up Your Phone? Take a Lap," the feature tests the device and gives it good marks.
"Here’s a familiar scenario: You’re walking somewhere, and you realize you’re going to be late. You reach for your phone to call, but your battery is as dead as Osama. You need some juice, stat. But with no outlet or charger nearby, you’re up the ol’ creek again."
"I’ve just tested a device made for moments like these: Tremont Electric’s nPower PEG backup charger. It purports to capture the energy your body gives off just by just walking or cycling, funneling volts into your dead cellphone battery, and bringing the device back to life or extending talk-time into the great beyond."
And the final verdict:
"Recharges cellphones with low or dead batteries using the kinetic energy of your bodily movements. 14 ounces and not too bulky, so you can carry it anywhere. Great for emergencies."
Read the rest of the review here.
Titled "Need to Gas Up Your Phone? Take a Lap," the feature tests the device and gives it good marks.
"Here’s a familiar scenario: You’re walking somewhere, and you realize you’re going to be late. You reach for your phone to call, but your battery is as dead as Osama. You need some juice, stat. But with no outlet or charger nearby, you’re up the ol’ creek again."
"I’ve just tested a device made for moments like these: Tremont Electric’s nPower PEG backup charger. It purports to capture the energy your body gives off just by just walking or cycling, funneling volts into your dead cellphone battery, and bringing the device back to life or extending talk-time into the great beyond."
And the final verdict:
"Recharges cellphones with low or dead batteries using the kinetic energy of your bodily movements. 14 ounces and not too bulky, so you can carry it anywhere. Great for emergencies."
Read the rest of the review here.
A parent can cover their child's eyes when there is violence on television, but who will do that for a child when they're exposed to real-life trauma? That is the question United Way is answering with its 2-1-1 community access line, a 24-hour help number that's part of Cuyahoga County’s Defending Childhood initiative.
United States Attorney General Eric Holder and Cuyahoga County Executive Edward FitzGerald hosted a news conference September 28 at Martin Luther King Jr. High School to announce a $2 million Justice Department grant that will aid Defending Childhood programs including the community access line.
The phone line is manned by United Way staff members. These trained staffers determine if Defending Childhood services can help a child who has witnessed violence or experienced trauma. Diagnosing and treating children who have lived through violence can be a significant step in helping them avoid trouble later in life, says Stephen Wertheim, president/CEO of United Way.
"The trauma a kid goes through can impact their function in society," Wertheim says. "We're trying to get to these problems at the root."
While at the high school event, Holder participated in a round-table discussion with students and teachers. He later met with a group of law enforcement officers and social workers that were also on hand.
The impact of violence on children has reached "national crisis" proportions, Holder told the audience during the Sept. 28 conference. Assessing and screening the young people victimized by violence must take precedence over merely prosecuting those perpetrating the trauma.
Studies have shown how post-traumatic stress can negatively effect children, says FitzGerald.
"If a child witnesses horrific acts of violence, they're more likely to be involved in the justice system themselves," says the county executive. Through a preventative measure like the 2-1-1 help line, "the idea is to increase public safety rather than just incarcerating everyone."
SOURCE: Stephen Wertheim, Ed FitzGerald
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
United States Attorney General Eric Holder and Cuyahoga County Executive Edward FitzGerald hosted a news conference September 28 at Martin Luther King Jr. High School to announce a $2 million Justice Department grant that will aid Defending Childhood programs including the community access line.
The phone line is manned by United Way staff members. These trained staffers determine if Defending Childhood services can help a child who has witnessed violence or experienced trauma. Diagnosing and treating children who have lived through violence can be a significant step in helping them avoid trouble later in life, says Stephen Wertheim, president/CEO of United Way.
"The trauma a kid goes through can impact their function in society," Wertheim says. "We're trying to get to these problems at the root."
While at the high school event, Holder participated in a round-table discussion with students and teachers. He later met with a group of law enforcement officers and social workers that were also on hand.
The impact of violence on children has reached "national crisis" proportions, Holder told the audience during the Sept. 28 conference. Assessing and screening the young people victimized by violence must take precedence over merely prosecuting those perpetrating the trauma.
Studies have shown how post-traumatic stress can negatively effect children, says FitzGerald.
"If a child witnesses horrific acts of violence, they're more likely to be involved in the justice system themselves," says the county executive. Through a preventative measure like the 2-1-1 help line, "the idea is to increase public safety rather than just incarcerating everyone."
SOURCE: Stephen Wertheim, Ed FitzGerald
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
The way Beachland Ballroom owner Cindy Barber sees it, Cleveland's music glory days are far from over. Yet our music scene could use some better amplification. That's why Barber has created a new nonprofit, Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present and Future, to preserve the legacy of the city's rock-and-roll history while also promoting and shaping its future.
"The past is the legacy project of capturing Cleveland music history, the present is documenting what's happening now, and the future is figuring out what we need to do to grow it," says Barber. "There's already a huge amount of music business here. We need to take stock of what we have and what we're missing."
Barber cites music business startups like Gotta Groove Records, Fortune Drums, Audio Technica and Dr. Z Amplification as success stories. She also wants to highlight the local bands that are touring and getting signed nationally.
"The plan is to create a website to highlight the bands that are getting attention," she says. "If they're out touring the world, they can bring that energy back to share with other people in Cleveland and grow the music business here."
To kick off the project, Barber and others are organizing a series of live interviews with local legends that played a role in Cleveland music history. The first event is scheduled to place on Saturday, November 3rd at 1 p.m. at the Beachland Ballroom. Tickets cost $15 and include lunch and the opportunity to participate as Larry Bruner, former booking manager for the 1960s folk music venue La Cav, is interviewed by Steve Traina, DJ for the WCSB radio show "Steve's Folk."
Future plans include working with the Rock Hall to preserve oral histories and promote live music, helping musicians identify investment sources for growing their bands or recording albums, and marketing the music industry here.
"All the clubs that came together as part of the Cleveland Music Coalition [to challenge the city's admissions tax] are part of this," says Barber. "We want to use the nonprofit to support what they're doing to create live music in Cleveland."
Source: Cindy Barber
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"The past is the legacy project of capturing Cleveland music history, the present is documenting what's happening now, and the future is figuring out what we need to do to grow it," says Barber. "There's already a huge amount of music business here. We need to take stock of what we have and what we're missing."
Barber cites music business startups like Gotta Groove Records, Fortune Drums, Audio Technica and Dr. Z Amplification as success stories. She also wants to highlight the local bands that are touring and getting signed nationally.
"The plan is to create a website to highlight the bands that are getting attention," she says. "If they're out touring the world, they can bring that energy back to share with other people in Cleveland and grow the music business here."
To kick off the project, Barber and others are organizing a series of live interviews with local legends that played a role in Cleveland music history. The first event is scheduled to place on Saturday, November 3rd at 1 p.m. at the Beachland Ballroom. Tickets cost $15 and include lunch and the opportunity to participate as Larry Bruner, former booking manager for the 1960s folk music venue La Cav, is interviewed by Steve Traina, DJ for the WCSB radio show "Steve's Folk."
Future plans include working with the Rock Hall to preserve oral histories and promote live music, helping musicians identify investment sources for growing their bands or recording albums, and marketing the music industry here.
"All the clubs that came together as part of the Cleveland Music Coalition [to challenge the city's admissions tax] are part of this," says Barber. "We want to use the nonprofit to support what they're doing to create live music in Cleveland."
Source: Cindy Barber
Writer: Lee Chilcote
For the next three months, artists from Sri Lanka, India, Armenia, Mexico and Chile will bring their talents, experiences and cultures to Cleveland through The Cleveland Foundation's international artist-in-residence program, Creative Fusion.
"The Cleveland Foundation does have a globalization agenda for Cleveland, and we think it's important for Clevelanders to see the city as a global, international city and that the rest of the world see us that way, too," says Kathleen Cerveny, Director of Institutional Learning and Arts Initiatives for the foundation. "The arts are a great tool to promote international understanding and exchange."
Creative Fusion brings in five international artists for a three-month stay in Cleveland. The program has been in the pilot phase for the last three years, and this year's roster of artists represents a complete relaunch for the initiative.
"Traditionally, arts organizations will bring in international artists, but there's very little lasting impact," says Cerveny. "We wanted to bring artists here for a longer period of time, especially cultures that are not represented in Cleveland."
While Creative Fusion artists are embedded within a cultural organization, they are required to complete community engagement activities and interact with the local artistic community. Cerveny says that the artists have gotten right to work.
"There's an Indian choreographer at the Rainey Institute who has been here a week and a day, and he's already taught two classes at Hathaway Brown and worked with inner-city kids at Rainey. This program has a significant impact."
Many of the artists consider Cleveland "a second home" after living here, she adds.
The artists are being hosted by Inlet Dance Theatre, Rainey Institute, Trinity Cathedral, Young Audiences and Zygote Press. More information about the Creative Fusion artists can be found on the Cleveland Foundation's website.
Source: Kathleen Cerveny
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"The Cleveland Foundation does have a globalization agenda for Cleveland, and we think it's important for Clevelanders to see the city as a global, international city and that the rest of the world see us that way, too," says Kathleen Cerveny, Director of Institutional Learning and Arts Initiatives for the foundation. "The arts are a great tool to promote international understanding and exchange."
Creative Fusion brings in five international artists for a three-month stay in Cleveland. The program has been in the pilot phase for the last three years, and this year's roster of artists represents a complete relaunch for the initiative.
"Traditionally, arts organizations will bring in international artists, but there's very little lasting impact," says Cerveny. "We wanted to bring artists here for a longer period of time, especially cultures that are not represented in Cleveland."
While Creative Fusion artists are embedded within a cultural organization, they are required to complete community engagement activities and interact with the local artistic community. Cerveny says that the artists have gotten right to work.
"There's an Indian choreographer at the Rainey Institute who has been here a week and a day, and he's already taught two classes at Hathaway Brown and worked with inner-city kids at Rainey. This program has a significant impact."
Many of the artists consider Cleveland "a second home" after living here, she adds.
The artists are being hosted by Inlet Dance Theatre, Rainey Institute, Trinity Cathedral, Young Audiences and Zygote Press. More information about the Creative Fusion artists can be found on the Cleveland Foundation's website.
Source: Kathleen Cerveny
Writer: Lee Chilcote
If the future belongs to those cities that can frame their opportunities and challenges, act in ways that demonstrate measurable progress, and connect and engage with the smartest people and the smartest ideas, than City Vitals 2.0 can act as a road map for urban leaders.
When it comes to attracting talent from outside the city, Cleveland "has room for improvement," according to recruiters and other pros tasked with the job. But numerous developments currently taking place in the city are major steps in the right direction, say those same pros.
Like many foundations, the Saint Luke's Foundation in Cleveland has emerged from the recession with a narrower yet deeper approach to grantmaking. Beginning this year, the foundation has eschewed responsive grantmaking for targeted grants in three primary areas: health, communities and families.
"This year our foundation turned 15, and as we thought about what our successes had been and how to serve the community in the best way possible, there was interest in focusing more narrowly," says LaTida Smith, Vice President of Programming, Outcomes and Learning at the foundation.
The change has been both challenging and rewarding. "This year, we're narrowing and doing responsive grantmaking at the same time," says Smith. "There are some projects we've funded in the past that we won't be able to fund anymore, and even though we've narrowed to three areas, those challenges are still broad."
One area where Smith says the foundation has been innovative and successful is in advancing the understanding of community health. The Cuyahoga County Board of Health was awarded a grant to develop its capacity to complete health impact assessments -- basically, determinations of how planning and redevelopment decisions impact neighborhood health -- while the "Place Matters" speaker series at the City Club prompted a broad discussion of place-based health disparities.
Examples of the foundation's changed grantmaking strategy include an increased emphasis on strengthening families -- as opposed to simply helping kids or adults in isolation -- and a strong commitment to the neighborhoods around the former Saint Luke's Hospital (Buckeye, Larchmere and Shaker Square in particular).
Source: LaTida Smith
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"This year our foundation turned 15, and as we thought about what our successes had been and how to serve the community in the best way possible, there was interest in focusing more narrowly," says LaTida Smith, Vice President of Programming, Outcomes and Learning at the foundation.
The change has been both challenging and rewarding. "This year, we're narrowing and doing responsive grantmaking at the same time," says Smith. "There are some projects we've funded in the past that we won't be able to fund anymore, and even though we've narrowed to three areas, those challenges are still broad."
One area where Smith says the foundation has been innovative and successful is in advancing the understanding of community health. The Cuyahoga County Board of Health was awarded a grant to develop its capacity to complete health impact assessments -- basically, determinations of how planning and redevelopment decisions impact neighborhood health -- while the "Place Matters" speaker series at the City Club prompted a broad discussion of place-based health disparities.
Examples of the foundation's changed grantmaking strategy include an increased emphasis on strengthening families -- as opposed to simply helping kids or adults in isolation -- and a strong commitment to the neighborhoods around the former Saint Luke's Hospital (Buckeye, Larchmere and Shaker Square in particular).
Source: LaTida Smith
Writer: Lee Chilcote