Article by GAR Foundation, Photo by Tim Fitzwater

When professional artists step into the classroom at Akron Public Schools’ I PROMISE School (IPS), students immediately lean in. Some have never met a working artist before. Others have never been asked to explain why they chose a particular image, color, brushstroke, or musical note. But in those moments, they are taken seriously for their ideas and invited to see themselves in a new way.

For many students, these opportunities are rare. “Young people navigating real challenges can struggle to trust their creative instincts or believe their ideas matter,” explains Curated Storefront Executive Director Heather Meeker. “In collaboration with I PROMISE School, we created the Visiting Artist Program to address that need by giving students consistent access to creative mentors who treat their choices as meaningful and encourage them to take risks.”

The Visiting Artist Program is one of 135 projects that have received support through ArtsForward, a regranting program operated by ArtsNow that invests in work aligned with the Akron/Summit Cultural Plan. Since 2023, ArtsForward has awarded more than $1.4 million to individual artists and arts organizations across Summit County, helping bring community-rooted creative ideas like the Visiting Artist Program to life. Alongside other partners, GAR Foundation is proud to support ArtsForward and the projects that are strengthening Akron’s creative landscape.