In 2020, Akron Community Foundation awarded $533,500* in competitive Arts & Culture cycle grants to support the work of diverse artists, a citywide cultural planning process, in-school arts programming and more.
See a complete history of Arts & Culture grants
- Akron Civic Theatre, for community-based programming and engagement activities, including free admission tickets for residents in need, $35,000
- Akron Municipal Court, to support art therapy for nonviolent specialized docket participants, $2,500
- Akron Soul Train, for an artist residency program, which includes workshops, exhibits and resources for artist fellows, $8,000
- Akron Symphonic Winds, to support free performances at community events and area schools, $5,000
- Akron Symphony, to support music education and outreach, including Concerts for Kids, Gospel Meets Symphony, Youth Symphony coaching, and other programs, $15,000
- Apollo's Fire the Cleveland Baroque Orchestra, to support concerts and programs for the 2020-21 season, including the Community Access Initiative, which offers economy and free tickets and workshops for community members, $10,000
- Art Bomb Brigade, to develop an artist residency and apprenticeship program for mural artists at the University of Akron, $5,000
- Art Sparks, for Dynamite Duos, a peer-based dance and music curriculum for Akron Public Schools students with developmental disabilities, $8,500
- ArtsNow, to advance Summit County's arts and culture sector through events, partnerships and advocacy, $15,000
- Ballet Excel Ohio, to support Reach Out and Dance, which provides free dance instruction and performance opportunities to students in Akron Public Schools, $5,000
- Center for Applied Drama and Autism, to support theater-based programming for individuals with autism and other disabilities, $4,500
- Center for Applied Theatre and Active Culture, to support performances, workshops and educational activities during the Balch Street Theatre’s 2020-21 season, $5,000
- Children's Concert Society of Akron, for the Akron Public Schools In-School Concert Series, which brings free live concert experiences of culturally diverse music to students in an informal, hands-on setting, $11,000
- The Cleveland Orchestra, to support the 2020 Blossom Music Festival, featuring family-friendly and classical programs throughout the summer, $1,000
- Crafty Mart, to support the Maker Sessions Entrepreneurial Curriculum, which connects artists and creative businesspeople to resources in the community through panel discussions, workshops and networking, $6,000
- Curated Storefront, to provide multimedia art window displays in vacant street-level buildings in downtown Akron, $10,000
- Cuyahoga Valley Art Center, to support exhibits, events and workshops for artists and residents in the Cuyahoga Falls area, $5,000
- DANCECleveland, to bring the Los Angeles-based BODYTRAFFIC dance company to Akron for a performance, educational residency, and outreach activities, $10,000
- Dancing Classrooms Northeast Ohio, to support a ballroom dancing residency program for Akron Public Schools students that builds self-esteem and promotes social and emotional learning, $5,000
- Downtown Cuyahoga Falls Partnership, to support local public art in downtown Cuyahoga Falls, $5,000
- Friends of 91.3, to support radio station operations and community service programs, $15,000
- GroundWorks DanceTheater, to support performances and outreach activities, including free workshops for young dancers, community and school performances, and residencies, $10,000
- Gum-Dip Theatre, to support “Three Countries, One Mother,” a multilingual play based on the history and culture of Bhutanese-Nepali Americans, $5,000
- Highland Square Neighborhood Association, for arts and engagement programs in Highland Square, including the annual PorchRokr music event and Highland Square Film Festival, $8,500
- Himalayan Music Academy, to support refugee and immigrant communities through music, language and dance classes; arts summer camp; and the North Hill Music Festival, $7,500
- Inlet Dance Theatre, to support Phase II of "The 'Black Card' Project," which addresses topics of race, equality and bias through performances, workshops and discussions, $5,000
- Keepers of the Art Education, to support the 2020-21 Hip-Hop Preservation Project, a series of performances and events designed to counteract the commercialization of hip-hop music, $10,000
- Les Délices, to support the 2020-21 season of concerts and outreach programs in Akron, including live chamber music performances with period instruments, $3,000
- Magical Theatre Company, to support the 2020-21 season, including resident performances, a kids scriptwriting program, touring plays and educational programs, $12,500
- Master Singers Chorale of Northeast Ohio, for operating support for the all-volunteer chorale group and its 2020 programming, $5,000
- Music from The Western Reserve, to support a concert music series in downtown Hudson featuring Northeast Ohio musicians, $2,000
- The Musical Theater Project, for the Kids Love Musicals! program, which offers musical theater-based programming in special education and traditional Akron Public Schools classrooms, $7,500
- National Center for Choreography, to support research and development in dance through group discussions, dancing labs, residencies, and interactions with world-class artists, $7,500
- The Nightlight Cinema, to support independent and culturally diverse movies and programming at The Nightlight Cinema, $13,500
- None Too Fragile Theatre, to support the 2020 Off-Broadway Series, $10,000
- OhioDance, to support the Virtual Dance Collection, an interactive website that documents and preserves the history of dance in Ohio, $1,000
- Ohio Shakespeare Festival, to support the 2020-21 season, including outdoor Shakespeare performances at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens and shows at Greystone Hall, $5,000
- Peninsula Foundation, to support the “Voices in the Valley” live music series, which features local and national artists at G.A.R. Hall, $7,000
- Project RISE, Akron Public Schools, to support the PACT (Performing Arts Can Teach) program, which provides live theater and performing arts experiences for homeless youth in Akron, $8,500
- Rubber City Theatre, to support the 2020-21 season, including plays by Shakespeare and other classic playwrights, workshops, educational experiences, and “pay as you like it” performances for residents, $5,000
- Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, for operating support of the historic estate, as well as educational, cultural and recreational programs, $41,000
- Summit Artspace, to support education, art exhibits and programming, along with resources for local artists, including studio space and workshops, $26,000
- Summit Choral Society, to support musical training for children and adults, including the Children's Choir and Choral Scholars programs, $15,000
- Summit County Historical Society of Akron, Ohio, for operating support, including expanding the organization’s online resources and educational tools, $25,000
- Summit County Probate Court, for the Curated Courthouse project, which will display artwork by underserved and diverse artists at the Summit County Courthouse, $5,000
- Third Culture Classical, to present public concerts at local homeless shelters, including ACCESS and Haven of Rest Ministries, $7,500
- Tinkers Creek Watershed Partners, to support “Wings Over Cuyahoga Valley: How Birds Connect Us to Our Environment," a traveling multimedia and educational art exhibit, $3,000
- Tuesday Musical Association, to support concerts and community engagement activities during the 2020-21 season, $16,000
- Verb Ballets, to support free dance performances and educational programs in Summit County, $20,000
- Wandering Aesthetics, to support community-driven programming, performances and educational activities for the 2020-21 season, $5,000
- Weathervane Community Playhouse, to support the 2020-21 season, including live theater productions, special events and classes, $10,000
- Western Reserve Historical Society, to support educational programming at the historic Hale Farm & Village, $20,000
- Western Reserve Playhouse, to support the 2020 performance season and Young Artists Theater program, $5,000
- Western Reserve Public Media, for cultural arts and performance programming on Western Reserve PBS, including local shows, concerts and art-related documentaries, $15,000
*Includes contributions through Akron Community Foundation's co-investment program, which enables donor-advised fundholders to review the board's competitive grant applications and support initiatives that align with their charitable interests.