Akron, OH, (May 1, 2025) – ArtsNow and the Summit County Land Bank are proud to announce the recipients of their 2025 Placemaking Grants. 

These grants support projects that activate public spaces, bringing people together and increasing access to the arts in neighborhoods throughout Summit County. 

“This incredible group of grantees reflects the creative energy, talent, and diversity of our communities,” said Nicole Mullet, Executive Director of ArtsNow. “From performances in public parks to immersive neighborhood festivals, these projects showcase the transformative power of the arts in building vibrant, connected places.”

The 2025 grant recipients are:

• Akron Art Museum – Downtown at Dusk Music Series ($5,000): Free outdoor concerts in the Bud and Susie Rogers Garden, featuring The Surfrajettes and celebrating women in the arts.
  
• Akron Black Artist Guild – Words into Action ($7,500): A one-day arts and literacy event for families, promoting civic dialogue and creative expression.
  
• Akron Civic Theatre – Pop N Art ($7,500): Hands-on art workshops and a culminating gallery exhibit at Lock 4, led by local artists.
  
• Akron Parks Collaborative – Chestnut Ridge Park Amphitheater Activation ($5,000): Live performances to revive a historic amphitheater in Kenmore.
  
• Akron Symphonic Winds – Community Concert Series ($7,500): Free performances across Summit County with student mentorship opportunities.
  
• Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority (AMHA) – Community Arts Initiative ($7,500): Poetry, music, and art programming at 11 public housing sites.
  
• Cascade Locks Park Association – Akron Oatmeal Festival ($5,000): A new celebration of Akron’s industrial roots featuring music and visual arts.
  
• Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park – Activating Oxbow Meadows ($5,000): Hikes and campfire concerts to reimagine the former Brandywine Golf Course.
  
• Better Kenmore CDC – Reactivating Vacant Buildings with Art ($4,830): Youth-led gallery, workshops, and public art for Akron’s Bicentennial.
  
• Magical Theatre Company – Tuscany on Tusc ($5,000): A lively Italian street festival in downtown Barberton.
  
• TBNL Productions – Animal Farm Theatrical Reading ($1,300): Literature-based performance during Copley Heritage Days.
  
• The Big Love Network – Shadyside ($10,000): Summer series of music, storytelling, and wellness in Shadyside Park.
  
• The National Center for Choreography at The University of Akron (NCCAkron) – Black by Nature ($10,000): Dance, storytelling, and community hikes exploring identity in nature.

“We’re proud to be investing in people and their ideas to strengthen neighborhoods and communities by activating public spaces,” said Patrick Bravo, Executive Director of the Summit County Land Bank. “Through this creative placemaking grant program, we’re doing that right here in Summit County—supporting local arts and culture, fostering connection, and helping communities reimagine what’s possible. Each project reflects the passion and potential that emerges when we invest in people and empower them to shape the places they call home.”

The Placemaking Grant program aligns with the Akron/Summit Cultural Plan and Elevate Greater Akron which call for increased public engagement, support for local artists and creatives, and leveraging arts and culture resources to strengthen an inclusive sense of place, support a high quality of life, and increase a visitor economy. This initiative was launched through a multi-year partnership between ArtsNow and the Summit County Land Bank and builds on the momentum of the annual Creative Placemaking Conference.

For more information about each funded project and the Cultural Plan, visit artsnow.org.