What is the Canton Culture Collective? New group to promote Stark arts, culture
CANTON ? The Stark County arts and culture community has a new group of ambassadors.
Launched in November, the Canton Culture Collective was formed to help support and promote arts and culture locally.
Comprised of nearly 30 members, the volunteer group includes some former members of the Canton HeART Guild at the Canton Museum of Art.
The group had coordinated the gARTen fundraising event for the art museum, said Canton Culture Collective members Lindsay Zimmerman and Ashley Harwell.
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After activities for the HeART Guild paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, some members decided to branch out and establish the Canton Culture Collective, which strives to make a broader impact in the Stark County arts and culture community.
Max Barton, executive director of the Canton Museum of Art, said the HeART Guild "is still very much active and supports the museum's new Art Inspires Gala and other events."
"The new CCC is a completely different group, with a different mission, though we do share some members," he said.
"We wish everyone the best as we all support and promote the arts in our great community," Barton said.
More than half of the Canton Culture Collective's members formerly belonged to the HeART Guild, Harwell said.
Canton Culture Collective will promote local artists, events, groups and programs, said Zimmerman, who noted that members of the group have been meeting with local arts leaders, downtown organizations, artists, nonprofit leaders and business owners "to find out how we can be helpful to the community."
Outreach efforts also have been made to the Downtown Canton Partnership and the Greater Stark County Urban League, including by promoting this year's Black & White Ball.
Harwell compared it to being ambassadors and shining a light on local arts and culture while also drawing in people who may be unfamiliar with the offerings.
Helping to engage people in the arts is a priority through "renewed excitement and passion," Zimmerman said.
During a recent interview, Harwell and Zimmerman expressed excitement over the potential of the new initiative. Here's a look at the group and its plans.
What will the Canton Collective Culture do?
The group's literature says its mission is to "inspire, promote and connect local arts and culture to our community and beyond."
"We are leveraging our love of both the arts and our Stark County community to help local organizations and businesses grow and succeed."
Canton Culture Collective says it will accomplish that by "utilizing our collective passion and networks."
The goal is to "provide awareness, exposure and publicity to arts and culture organizations as ambassadors of the arts through organized social media efforts."
Shining a spotlight on Stark County arts and culture "is a great investment and way to contribute to the economic, social and political development of our community," the group says in its promotional materials.
What has the Canton Culture Collective done so far?
In November, the Canton Culture Collective had a launch party and unveiling at the Historic Onesto Event Center in downtown Canton.
The group plans to promote the EN-RICH-MENT Fine Arts Academy grand opening when it moves into its new home in 2024 at the former Ziegler Tire site at Market Avenue N and Ninth Street NW.
The group also attended the recent EN-RICH-MENT Awards Gala.
What are the group's future plans?
Central to the new group is spreading the word of what the arts community has to offer locally, including monthly First Friday festivities in downtown Canton. Culture Collective members also may help guide visitors to different activities during First Friday.
The group also will be involved with Canton Prom 2024, an event on April 13 at the DoubleTree by Hilton benefitting the Canton Palace Theatre's 100th anniversary capital project to expand and renovate the historic venue.
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Other examples include promoting Bring Your Song, a nonprofit showcase for Northeast Ohio musical artists hosted at The Auricle Venue + Bar and presented by Realgrey Records in Canton.
Canton Culture Collective is identifying and evaluating other potential partnerships "where we can fit in while maintaining our autonomy," Harwell said.
Who else is a member of the Canton Culture Collective?
Besides Zimmerman and Harwell, members include those who are involved in the arts and culture community from varying perspectives, including business owners.
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Other members include Adam Hoover, owner of Main Street Modern and Laubacher Upholstery, and Alaska Thompson, a local artist and gallery director at Patina Arts Centre in downtown Canton, as well as Darla Brown, Jorge Cervantez, Andrea Company, Alexis Haupt, Jennifer Jackson, Angela Blake, Kay Depew, Sandy Doll, Sheri Egnotovich, Kristy Gnandt, Nikolina Karovski, Jeffrey Kishman, Chris Lewis, Renata Luntz, Jennifer Luntz-Spring, Tiffany Marsh, Kristin Meadows, Leah Michalos, Cheryle Paxos, Katie Plakas, Mike Rich, Maranda Saling, Kasie Travaglione and Jules Yang Kar.
Harwell said the Canton Culture Collective is "very organic" and wasn't modeled after an existing group here or elsewhere.
Added Zimmerman: "What's very unique about the collective and the members of the collective is we're a very diverse group of individuals that bring different backgrounds and talents and gifts and experience."
For more information and to make inquiries, Canton Culture Collective can be reached via email at [email protected].
Reach Ed at [email protected]. On X (formerly Twitter) @ebalintREP and Instagram at ed_balint
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton Culture Collective wants to boost Stark arts scene
