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March 2025 Akron ArtWalk: Visiting Four Art Venues

Blog Date
Author(s)
Stuart O. Smith, Jr.
Tags
Akron
Art
Summit Artspace
Akron Art Museum

Akron ArtWalk 2025 Thursday dates: March 13, June 12, September 11 from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. On March 13th, I visited four of the venues whose icons are in this image: Summit Artspace, Art x Love, Akron Soul Train, and Akron Art Museum.
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A quarterly celebration of the arts and local artists

Every three months, ArtWalk is held in the Historic Arts District on Thursday nights from 5 – 9 p.m. Community members are invited to the quarterly celebration to enjoy food, music, art, and more. Each ArtWalk will have a specific theme that engages visitors with the arts in new ways. ArtWalk is always free and open to the public with donations gladly accepted.

Artwalk is funded, in part, by a grant from the Mary S. and David C. Corbin Foundation.

Your Guide to ArtWalk in Downtown Akron

. . .

Each ArtWalk event has a specific theme that allows visitors to experience art in new, unique ways, as well as music, refreshments, and pop-up vendors. Summit Artspace often closes part of Summit Street for ArtWalk activities and holds food, special musical performances, and more in their parking lot. Check Summit Artspace’s website to learn more about upcoming dates, themes, and other events, and read on to learn about the different arts venues often on the ArtWalk map. We also have recommendations on where to eat while you’re here.

I already had the Akron ArtWalk in my personal calendar, but I really appreciated that Summit Artspace Executive Director Heather Meeker sent me an invitation to be sure that I was aware of this event. I have read about Akron ArtWalk for years, and am glad I finally attended on March 13, 2025.
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I attended the March 13, 2025, Akron ArtWalk after I learned about it via an invitation from Summit Artspace Executive Director Heather Meeker. (Please learn more about her by reading her bio in my blog post about the Summit Artspace 2024 Kaleidoscope annual holiday show.)

For this blog post, I gathered my photos, videos, and information about the following four venues I visited to encourage you to learn more about them:

 

I also include in this blog post information about Summit DD (Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board) and related agencies that Summit Artspace arranged to be involved to make this the "2nd Annual Inclusive Akron Artwalk." This is part of Summit Artspace's commitment to empowering artists of all abilities.

I want to thank Downtown Akron Partnership for sharing the Bluesky thread describing my #AkronArtwalk #downtownAkron experience.
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I also want to say thank you to Downtown Akron Partnership for sharing my #AkronArtwalk experience thread on Bluesky. I recommend following @downtownakron.bsky.social on Bluesky to learn about fun activities happening in downtown Akron.

I have read about past Akron ArtWalks for many years, and I am so glad I finally attended for the first time in 2025. I hope you enjoy my blog post about what I saw and learned that evening.

 

 

Summit Artspace Partners with Summit DD for Creative Voices: Empowering Artists of All Abilities

Creative Voices: Empowering Artists of All Abilities - Thursday, March 13, 2025 5-9 p.m. - Sponsored in part by Summit DD to Empower People of All Abilities!
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. . . first Akron Artwalk of 2025 on Thursday, March 13, and celebrate Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. The theme is Creative Voices: Empowering Artists of All Abilities. This event will take place from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. Supported in part by Summit DD to Empower People of All Abilities!

Empowering artists of all abilities at the Akron Artwalk

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Summit DD proudly teamed up with Summit Artspace to host our 2nd Annual Inclusive Akron Artwalk! The theme for this year’s inclusive artwalk was Creative Voices: Empowering Artists of All Abilities. Nearly nearly 400 attendees joined us to celebrate DD Awareness Month and the arts– all with accessibility and empowering artists of all abilities at the heart of the evening!

Visitors to Summit Artspace found a host of inclusion-themed activities:

  • Information and activities at Summit DD’s informational booth where visitors learned about our services and supports.

  • Summit DD featured assistive technology discovery kits, a 3D printed switch for creating accessible spin art, and open-source 3D-printed writing devices. We showcased how customizable tech can be made and adapted right here in Summit County at community hubs like The Akron MakerSpace.

  • The Inclusioneers’ Mobile Sensory Bus, supported by Summit DD staff, was available in front of the building for folks who needed a sensory break from the activities.

  • Resources from Akron Summit County Public Library’s Accessibility Library, a groundbreaking resource that enhances accessibility at festivals, performances, community gatherings, and cultural shows. Visitors to the artwalk could explore sensory items, mobility supports, and other items available from the library for loan at no cost to users. Sensory Bags were also available for check out during the event. (Ps. Did you know that Summit DD is a community partner in the Accessibility Library? Check it out!)

  • A Quiet Room on Summit Artspace’s 2nd floor offered a calming atmosphere and featured various Accessibility Library items.

In my first career, I was a director of development for agencies that worked in the realm of social services. As I talked to Summit DD (Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board) staff, I realized that my professional and educational experience had not exposed me to their areas of expertise.

Bill of Rights for People with Developmental Disabilities
Everyone is afforded certain rights under the law that guarantee certain personal freedoms. Empower yourself by learning more about the Bill of Rights for people with Developmental Disabilities.

Know Your Rights

It was interesting to learn that Summit DD partnered with Akron Makerspace to build some of the adaptive devices that their clients require. I am familiar with this exceptional community resource from when I wrote about their opening:

The Accessibility Library provides resources to ensure that volunteers, guests, staff, and performers at events can fully immerse themselves and actively participate in the vibrancy of festivals, performances, community gatherings, and shows.
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The other Summit DD partner that was in attendance was The Akron-Summit County Public Library's Accessibility Library. I am familiar with the library's tech resources, but I did not know about their Accessibility Library, which "provides items available for check-out as well as support at all stages of planning."

Here is a video of my photos from the event that relates to developmental disabilities:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

 

Summit Artspace

OUR MISSION
Summit Artspace connects artists and artist-serving organizations to the community and to the resources they need to thrive professionally, creatively, and financially.

I started my Akron Art Walk by joining others in all the activities happening on all the floors of Summit Artspace, 140 East Market Street (Phone: 330-376-8480, SummitArtspace.org).

In one of the galleries, I talked to Robert S. Wright (RWrightArt.com), who was drawing on a long strip of material where he was capturing the motion of the people in the room. Behind him were his paintings of dancers, where he used the same technique to capture their motions and then also their figures. I recommend going to his "Why Figurative Motion?" web page to see the two videos which feature "art and video by Robert Wright. choreography and dance performed by Teagan Reed 2023" and "art and video by Robert Wright. choreography and dance performed by Victoria Rumzis. 2023." My photos below include him at the table where he was drawing and of some of his artwork.

After visiting the galleries, I visited the vendor area that was set up for the event. There are also permanent artist studios and shops in Summit Artspace, and I was fortunate to talk to Kyla Decatur of P31 Art & Design (p31art.com) in her studio. I enjoyed talking to her about her work and her other plans.

My photos/videos will give you a taste of what you will see when you visit, but it is best to enjoy the artwork in person:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.
Please feel free to pause the video to look more closely at the artwork in the slides!!

 

 

Art x Love

Art x Love was founded by Allyse and Mac Love in 2015. We have 40 years of combined experience as creative, branding, and marketing professionals. We produce interdisciplinary art projects that positively inspire, impact, and endure.
. . .
We are a for-profit creative agency that works with clients on a per-project basis or an annual retainer at a reduced studio rate.

The next venue on my Akron ArtWalk was Art x Love, 35 South Main Street (Phone: 330-238-8588, Open by appointment Monday through Friday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, ArtXLove.com)

I enjoyed meeting Mac and Allyse Love and their children while learning about the new areas of their business that they are developing in this space. Mac Love told me how they are technically not open to the public yet, and that they are going to be creating space for other artists to create and exhibit their work.

Most of the artwork in these photos were created by Mac Love, or is artwork that he currently restoring. Other artists also have their artwork displayed:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.
Please feel free to pause the video to look more closely at the artwork in the slides!!

 

 

Akron Soul Train

Akron Soul Train is an artist residency program connecting and empowering the community and artists by granting residencies that provide resources for all creative disciplines to foster a more vibrant downtown Akron.

The third venue on my Akron ArtWalk was Akron Soul Train, 191 South Main Street (Phone: 330-573-0517, AkronSoulTrain.org)

I’ve seen Akron Soul Train on social media for years, and mentioned them in a 2016 blog post, but this was my first time visiting.

Here is information about the exhibition that I saw on display during the Akron ArtWalk:

The Vivid Process of Grief in Davon Brantley’s Midsommar in Granada Gardens
On view February 26 - April 5, 2025

. . .
Artist-in-Residence Davon Brantley presents Chapter 2: Midsommar in Granada Gardens, a collection of paintings in conversation with purgatory and grief. The tension of vibrant colors and muted grey tones represent the blending of emotions surrounding the loss of a loved one. Brantley’s characters move with dramatic effect, illuminating the intimate nature of confronting grief. The exhibit explores the limbo of being at once void of emotion and yet overwhelmed by emotion in combination with Brantley’s meditations on death, life, sexuality, masculinity, colorism, and racial stereotyping. A deeply personal exhibit, Midsommar In Granada Gardens is a visual blueprint of how Brantely has analyzed grief in the wake of his grandmother’s death.

“I lead the audience through my mind as if they were watching a play, utilizing dramatic compositions, absurd realism, and characters that act out certain emotions and themes in which I play all of the roles. Through larger-than-life-size scaled pieces, I present a glimpse inside of my mental landscape and inhabitants; finding a ground for what is invisible that bleeds into my waking world.” – Davon Brantley

About the Artist Davon Brantley:
Davon Brantley implements self-portraiture and psychology in his work and is inspired by the dissociative behaviors that happen because of trauma and the repetition involved with these experiences. He received his BFA in Drawing from the Cleveland Institute of Art. Davon has exhibited or helped curate at several places including BAYarts, The Museum of Contemporary Art (moCa) Cleveland, the CAN Triennial, The Morgan Conservatory, and The Museum of Creative Human Art. Brantley worked with community organizations like The Museum of Creative Human Art, and Graffiti HeArt, and has also furthered his investigations in Printmaking with DeepDive Art projects and CIA. He has participated in mural activities and advocates for the importance of art in young lives.



Relive Matt Kurtz’ “Drumroll to the Solar Eclipse” in the CapSoul Gallery On view February 26 - April 5, 2025

. . .
See the solar eclipse again but this time with the perfect lead-in: a drumroll! This recording documents a sound performance in collaboration with the total eclipse on April 8th, 2024, at the Chestnut Ridge Park Amphitheater in Akron, Ohio. A few minutes before the moon completely covered the sun, Matt Kurtz directed a seven-piece percussion section in a drumroll that crescendoed and stopped at the moment of totality, coinciding with the natural phenomenon known as the “blackout.” This drumroll acted as a gesture to build anticipation and amplified the audience’s observation of this momentous collision with the cosmos.

This piece was funded by Akron Soul Train and performed by Maureen Joyce (timpani), Rubin Shirley (snare), Robin Guiler (snare), Mario Malachi (snare), Joe Bilinski (hand cymbals), Ben Coates (snare), and Matt Kurtz (gong).

About the Artist Matt Kurtz:
Matt Kurtz is an artist based in Akron, Ohio. His self-mythologizing artwork uses found objects, performance, and video documentation to reclaim identity in the ruins of industry and faith. Recent shows include a dual exhibition at Summit Art Space and an MFA thesis installation at Kent State University. His artwork strives to interact with the viewer through sound performance and site-specific observation

In addition to the photos from Akron Soul Train, I have a photo of the Akron Civic Theatre.

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.
Please feel free to pause the video to look more closely at the artwork in the slides!!

 

 

Akron Art Museum

The Akron Art Museum invites all people to enrich their lives through modern and contemporary art.

The fourth and final venue I went to as part of the Akron ArtWalk was the Akron Art Museum, 1 South High Street (Phone: 330-376-9186, AkronArtMuseum.org).

I was fortune to be able to come to the museum while their CANstruction Exhibition was still on display in the lobby area. I had hoped to attend the CANstruction Build Event which took place on Saturday, March 1, 2025, but my plans had to change when I joined hundreds of people in support of Ukraine at the Rally for Ukraine in Cleveland at The Grand Hall next to St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral.

CANstruction is a competition where teams build sculptures out of donated canned goods. Each team is given 10 feet of room to create a sculpture. Past teams have created animals, cartoon characters, and pop culture icons. Museum visitors are encouraged to come during the actual build to watch CANstruction live. The sculptures will be on view through March 16. Proceeds from the event benefit the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank and the Greater Cleveland Foodbank.

After enjoying the the completed CANstruction Exhibition projects, I did a quick walk-through of the galleries to see some of my favorite artwork and some pieces that were new to me. I also saw they were setting up the She Said, She Said: Contemporary Women Artists exhibition, which opened on Saturday, March 22, 2025. I am often the last one to leave local Northeast Ohio museums, and this evening was no exception. It gave me a chance to talk to the museum's guard as he closed the galleries.

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.
Please feel free to pause the video to look more closely at the artwork in the slides!!

 

Related Blog Posts

I always like to include in my blog posts a list of related posts that may be of interest to the readers of this blog post. In addition to Summit Artspace and Akron Art Museum event information, I have included blog posts about events at The Akron-Summit County Public Library, Akron MakerSpace, and Akron Civic Theatre:

  1. Blog Date: December 29, 2024 - 2024 Holiday Lighting Ceremonies - University Circle, Lock 3 Akron, Downtown Cleveland, GE Nela Park
    "I want to thank Summit Artspace Executive Director Heather Meeker for my visit to their Kaleidoscope annual holiday show and the rest of their art galleries. There are many artistic gems found throughout the building."

  2. Blog Date: December 17, 2024 - A Day of Akron Art Galleries: Skulls & Neon

  3. Blog Date: February 27, 2024 - 2024 Cleveland and Akron Lunar New Year Celebrations: The Year Of The Dragon
    See the section about the Akron Civic Theatre and its new The Knight Stage.

  4. Blog Date: November 22, 2021 - Akron Makes 2021 -- Fun Time Learning From Creatives!

  5. Blog Date: February 5, 2020 - Akron Art Museum "Last Look Tour: 'Open World: Video Games & Contemporary Art'"

  6. Blog Date: December 8, 2019 - Akron MakerSpace Grand Opening

  7. Blog Date: December 8, 2019 - Akron Art Museum "Open World: Video Games & Contemporary Art," Summit Artspace "Poe's Garden," and CVNP New Visitor Center

  8. Blog Date: October 21, 2018 - High Arts Festival Akron 2018 Final Day and Finale Celebration

  9. Blog Date: October 1, 2018 - A Gathering of Fascinating & Curious People - Akron Library Mini Maker Faire 2018

  10. Blog Date: August 5, 2018 - FRONT International Triennial for Contemporary Art and More - Akron

  11. Blog Date: November 21, 2017 - Creatives Gather at Akron Library for Mini Maker Faire 2017

  12. Blog Date: November 28, 2016 - Akron Mini Maker Faire 2016

  13. Blog Date: November 13, 2016 - PechaKucha Night Akron Volume 5 at The Bit Factory
    "A surprise -- an exhibit of art from Akron Soul Train . . ."

  14. Blog Date: October 24, 2016 - Akron Art Prize 2016

  15. Blog Date: February 17, 2016 - PechaKucha Night at the Akron Civic Theatre

  16. Blog Date: October 7, 2015 - Web Vulnerability » Akron Maker Faire » Launch League SpaceWalk

  17. Blog Date: October 29, 2014 - Robots & Makers in Akron -- Oh, My!

  18. Blog Date: November 25, 2013 - Akron Mini Maker Faire & SYN/HAK The Akron Hackerspace Open House

 

You can find more related past blog posts under the following categories:

 

Thank you to the leaders of these four art institutions for providing an enjoyable evening for my first Akron ArtWalk. I hope that this blog post gets you motivated to get out to visit these venues, and to also learn about the other locations that are partners in these Akron ArtWalks. Have fun!!!