In early December, ArtsNow partnered with the Dublin Arts Council to send two local influencers to experience the arts and culture scenes in different communities. ArtsNow selected local artist Nick Lee to travel to Dublin, Ohio, and Dublin Arts Council selected Paige Dempsey to travel to Akron. 

Both individuals captured businesses and organizations in the Akron and Dublin areas, such as local restaurants, zoos, parks, public art, and more. 

While in Dublin, Nick visited the following attractions: 

• Indian Run Falls Park, known for its beautiful waterfalls.
• North Market Bridge Park, an indoor market filled with local restaurants and merchants.
• Jeni’s Ice Cream, an ice cream shop with delicious seasonal flavors.
• Valentina’s, a restaurant with cuisine inspired by a quaint Italian village with the In the Neighborhood mosaic right in front of the restaurant. This mosaic column was created by artists Eric Rausch and Jen Kiko. This unique mosaic column represents an energetic, growing, and living scene of the natural characters found in the neighborhood. 
• Bridge Park, a new and vibrant neighborhood in Downtown Dublin. 
• Public art throughout the city, including: The Boat In The Field by Ivan Averbuch at the M.L. Red Trabue Nature Reserve, Watch House by Todd Slaughter at Coffman Park, and Featherpoint by Olga Ziemska at Thaddeus Kosciuszko Park.
• Columbus Zoo Wildlights, a festive tradition where holiday lights are placed all around the Zoo.
• The Dublin Arts Council’s current exhibition, Chapi Sari: The Story of Cotton, and the four public art pieces on the grounds: Tree of Life, Future Tense created by Columbus artist Mary Jo Bole, Sanguine Standing Stone (quartzite) and Jaunty Hornbeam (bronze), both by Joseph Wheelwright, a Boston master carver, and Exuvia by artist Todd Smith.

Paige spent time in Akron visiting nonprofit organizations and local businesses, including: 

• Summit Artspace
• Akron Soul Train
• Akron Art Museum
• Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens 
• Jilly’s Music Room
• Akron Civic Theatre
• Akron Zoo
• Ohio Shakespeare Festival at Greystone
• Northside Marketplace

We are so grateful to the Dublin Arts Council and Visit Dublin for their pivotal role in making this amazing opportunity for local artists and creatives possible. This partnership gave Nick and Paige the opportunity to experience arts and culture differently without traveling too far. 

To learn more about Dublin Arts Council, please visit: https://www.dublinarts.org/.

Check out Paige’s highlights on the Dublin Arts Council’s Instagram page. To check out Nick’s highlights, visit ArtsNow’s Instagram page.