Get Your Local Culture Fix Now
updated 4/29/20. Have more you want to add? Email us at editor@bakermediagroup.com.
From gallery tours to craft lessons to an online arts fest, Northeast Ohio institutions have gone virtual.
Film
Purchase tickets to rent movies online through the Akron arthouse cinema’s virtual screening room — you’ll have access to the films for five days through the streaming service Kino Lorber.
Cleveland International Film Festival
Rewatch your favorites or catch indie films you’ve missed from past festivals through popular streaming services, like Netflix that has the 2019 award-winning Ohio documentary “American Factory” and short documentary “Zion” about a Massillon wrestler born without legs. In April, the organization plans on releasing a handful of new international films that were slated for this year’s festival through the CIFF Streams subscription-based online platform. Film junkies can listen to the CIFF Speaks podcast too.
Theater
Watch actors record scenes from classic Shakespeare plays and answer questions from viewers afterwards with this theater company’s Live Talk Back Zoom sessions. You can stream the videos every Monday and Friday on Facebook.
This Akron theater had to stop its run of “Love’s Labour’s Lost” early, so it decided to livestream its performance of the Shakespearean comedy. You can find the video on its Facebook page and check out the mention it got in the Wall Street Journal, too.
On the first Saturday of each month, this Akron troupe hosts an open mic night known as the Electric Pressure Cooker Cabaret. Anyone and everyone can join in, doing any kind of performance — it could be play readings, comedy, puppets, dance or whatever else artists submit. Sure, usually it’s live, but on April 4 the group is hosting it social distance style with videos from various performers compiled into a livestream.
Arts
Every Tuesday and Thursday view video profiles from past, current and future Akron Soul Train artists in residence are posted on Facebook. On April 1, meet Timothy Gaewsky, the artist in residence for May. On Sundays, chill out with poetry readings from locals.
The art walk on the first Saturday of every month continues online. On May 2 look for the two virtual art shows, “YOU-Topia Juried Art Exhibition” and “YOU-Topia Youth Challenge” kicking off an evening of workshops, demos and interviews with local artists. Also take part in online shopping with art walk partners including Zeber-Martell ceramics and Sweet Modern midcentury modern vintage furniture.
Don’t miss live performances from local musicians, stories from the Rubber Worker Statue project and all the online shopping.
Akron indie filmmaker and illustrator Ted Sikora made his “Tap Dance Killer” comic book, both volumes 1 and 2, free during quarantine. If you want to read more, visit his Hero Tomorrow Comics website for a 20 percent discount of other comics.
This college’s annual art student show is now virtual. You can see works including sculptures jewelry and painting through Artsteps app or online gallery.
Keep giving love to the planet with this interactive Earth Day poetry project that is a part of Kent State University’s Traveling Stanzas. Read poems from pros and then add your own thoughts to a virtual community poem too!
Catch videos of traveling exhibits like “Elias Sime: Tightrope,” featuring work by an Ethiopian artist through May 24. Also explore the museum’s previous and current collections online. Kiddos and those wanting to get creative can do crafts via video lessons posted on Medium. For some Northeast Ohio inspiration, try the Op Art folders that mimic the artistic style made famous by Clevelander Julian Stanczak.
This Cuyahoga Falls gallery is sharing photos of artwork for sale to support local creatives, such as “Leaves” by Kay Phelps. You can play trivia through its Facebook— guess which popular rock songs photographs in the gallery are inspired by.
Warm weather means art fest season. Still get that experience from home with this virtual fest hosted by local artists Deborah Shapiro and Vicki Prussak. Support local artists by taking video tours of their booths. From jewelry makers to painters, these creators will show their handmade pieces you can purchase online.
Browse the collection online that has 61,000 records of artworks and in-depth interpretive content on the pieces, or take a digital museum tour through the ArtLens app. Its digital archives have audio and visual recordings from past events as well as oral histories and more. If you are missing guided tours, follow its Facebook to watch videos from curators reflecting on exhibitions.
Check its Facebook for daily videos with fun things to do at home including 8 a.m. crafts and dance lessons, music performances at noon and 8 p.m. book readings, all on weekdays. Plus, there are a ton of live events to resurrect your social calendar. Actually have plans Friday April 3 with your choice a virtual brewhouse tour with Muskellunge Brewing Co., a social distance silent film presented by the Canton Palace Theatre, an online concert with local musicians from Q92 radio or a virtual Canton First Friday with online shopping and entertainment options.
The Akron Artwalk is going virtual Saturday April 4. The event kicks off with two new virtual art exhibits, “Whether to Weather” and “Boschian: Beautifully Bizarre.” Stick around for demonstrations, workshops, and interviews with artists.
This entertainment series every first Friday of the month continues virtually. On May 1 check out livestream concerts from the Auricle and Canton Music Block, and buy great products from local online shops. Plus, witness Canton artist BZAT’s impressive 12-hour paint-a-thon.
Take a 360 virtual tour of the Canton Museum of Art any day of the week, including works from its “Spirit of Clay” exhibition and classic paintings from artists like John Singer Sargent and Winslow Homer. Go deeper with curator’s couch video interviews with artists talking about their processes in detail or try your hand at art with unique craft videos each Wednesday.
Fashion
This virtual extravaganza highlights the hard work and innovation of Kent State’s School of Fashion’s senior design and merchandising students. Watch the reinvented fashion show on Kent State’s website.
History
Virtual events are moving forward to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the May 4, 1970, shootings of students protesting at Kent State University. Find digital content of survivors reflecting, performances by Graham Nash and David Crosby and Tina Fey and Jeff Richmond reading the “May 4th Voices” radio play at kent.edu/may4kentstate50.
Take a stroll in the gardens for free Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for seniors and 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for all others. Entrance is limited to a certain number of guests at each time. If you would rather stay home, you can still enjoy a virtual tour of the Manor House’s impressive first floor.
Other Canton museums got together to provide online content via social media. Engage some fresh history lessons from the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum on Mondays, the Paul Brown Museum at the Massillon Museum on Tuesdays, the National First Ladies' Library on Thursdays, Pro Football Hall of Fame on Fridays and Dennison Railroad Depot Museum on Saturdays for a fresh program video. Sports fans missing the action can tune in to video interviews of football players at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Classical Music
Looking for pop, rock and other contemporary music? Click here to read our virtual concert guide.
Get sophisticated in your living room with virtual orchestra shows featuring videos of past performances and “Preview From the Podium” chats with conductor Christopher Wilkins. Set aside April 17 for its virtual gala and keep a lookout on their Facebook for more performances, including videos of orchestra musicians playing from their homes.
Indulge in music, art and literature with this video Music for the Soul series from the Cleveland baroque orchestra. The group is regularly posting past concert videos, interviews with people like its Grammy Award-winning conductor Jeannette Sorrell and related readings.
Turn your radio to WCLV 104.9 on Sundays at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m. and weekday at lunchtime to hear orchestra performances broadcasted. Try Mindful Music Moments, a daily four-minute dose of classical music from the Cleveland Orchestra on YouTube, accompanied by mindfulness prompts to help participants begin their day calm and focused. Children ages 3 to 6 can learn about the instruments of the orchestra with the fun web series, Music Explorers. youtube.com/clevelandorchestra
Dance
Exchange a theater seat for a couch cushion with performance videos by Dance Cleveland. The clips are sent via email you can subscribe to through its website.
Have more you want to add? Email us at editor@bakermediagroup.com.