Assembly for the Arts

Save the Date: The first Quarterly Assembly of 2026
March 18 | 6 PM
MidTown Collaboration Center
Quarterly meetings are $15 and include dinner. Members attend for free; login before you register.
More details coming soon!
buff.ly/xAdvh9J

Photo courtesy Bridget Caswell

Artist Opportunity! Due Feb 26th. Downtown Cleveland and the City of Cleveland invite artists to submit qualifications for a new asphalt art installation in the Gateway District. Funded through Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative
Review the RFQ online. buff.ly/0yfecyV

Vote for University Circle – USA Today Best Arts District
University Circle is once again nominated for Best Arts District in the USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards. Public voting is now open and will continue through Monday, February 16 at 11:59 a.m. EST. buff.ly/JPVLOEN

The Ohio Arts Council recently announced grants for 77 Ohio artists – including more than a dozen from Cuyahoga County – through the OAC’s Individual Excellence Awards (IEA) program.
Read more: buff.ly/T1rleRr
Photo courtesy Djapo Cultural Arts Institute

The Cadence: Art in Action Cleveland Art Wall

Hot Off the Presses: As Cleveland moves through the deep winter, the civic conversation is focused on the future. The choices being made now will shape Cleveland for a generation. Learn more in the latest issue of Cadence.
buff.ly/PL1oQ1w]
Photo courtesy of Emanuel Wallace.

Cuyahoga LIVE! is working to strengthen Northeast Ohio’s music scene, support local artists and venues, and make our region a top destination for live performances. They want to hear from you. Help shape what comes next. Take the survey: buff.ly/eV9mtm8

TONIGHT! Creative Meetups CLE Monday, February 2nd at 5:30pm in partnership with @futurelandcle and Chase Bank meet us at @fig_futureinkgraphics

FREE but registration required.https://buff.ly/qA5SZN7

#cleveland #creative #arts #community #enterpreneurs

Congratulations to Dr. Raquel Ortiz, a 2024 Creative Impact Fund awardee! Her short film, “Julia’s Dance: A Bomba Flamenco Bedtime Tale,” was named Best Musical and won for Best Hair & Makeup at the 2026 San Diego Short Film Festival. Learn more about Dr. Ortiz’s work on her website buff.ly/OJ4nBto

📣 Artist Opportunity -- Call for Art, submit by February 13th. Breakthrough Sounds @Btsoundscle has an open call for submissions to the Cleveland Art Wall. This year's theme is "Layers", which encourages artists to explore depth on their own terms.

Details at buff.ly/SiayuV6

Are you an artist looking to build more visibility, funding, or momentum for your creative practice?

Join @arts_midwest in February for a series of free webinars! The first one starts on Feb 4th.

Learn more at the Arts Midwest website.
buff.ly/XCClqyU

📆 Coming up Feb. 5th - 7th at 7 pm: BOXED, a dance theatre show presented by Cleveland Public Theatre. Devised & choreographed by Elizabeth Pollert (CIF '25). Tickets are "Choose What You Pay" with a portion of the box office going directly to the artists.

Building a System That Works Even on Your Worst Days - JumpStart Inc. Sales shouldn’t depend on having a “good day.” In this second session of our January series with Viking Sales Consultants, entrepreneurs will learn how to shift from reactive selling to a simple,…

JumpStart, Assembly’s partner and neighbor at the MidTown Collaboration Center, offers a free series of webinars and workshops that can help artists develop strategies to grow their creative practices or businesses. Next session is January 21st.

More info at

Money Moves: Master Your Business Finances
Tuesday and Wednesday | January 20 – 28 | 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Corporate College, 4400 Richmond Road, Warrensville Heights
In just two weeks, this hands-on course gives you the financial skills every entrepreneur needs. Cost: $40

Register buff.ly/lJoUzSF.

Business Volunteers Unlimited: Role of the Board
Jan 28 | 8:30 - 11:45 AM
Join BVU for a training that dives into board roles, effective governance practices, and the legal responsibilities of the board, along with an engaging panel discussion and real-world case studies. Register: buff.ly/kSryF1k

Big Change Consulting will host Budgeting Basics for Today’s Nonprofit Reality, a foundational, in-person workshop for nonprofit leaders. FREE Jan 22nd 10 am. Register by email at chamber@communitysolutions.com. Organizations can request consulting here: Consulting Request Link buff.ly/SCvRXDm

Arts organizations across the region have scheduled events to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., including The Music Settlement, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and Maltz Museum. Search for events at ClevelandArtsEvents.com

📸 courtesy of Freepix

Symphonic Salon with Members of The Cleveland Orchestra on Friday, January 16, 2026 at 6:00 PM at the Bostwick Design Art Initiative Gallery. Enjoy an intimate chamber music performance by members of The Cleveland Orchestra. Info and tix: buff.ly/V3D65da #ClevelandArtsPrize #ARTSinCLE

Snowed in? Curl up with a hot beverage and dig into the latest issue of Cadence, Assembly's monthly newsletter. In this issue, we look ahead to 2026, announce our final 2025 Boost Fund grantees, and share continuing education, networking, and grant opportunities. Read more here: buff.ly/XyyPrOV

Boost Fund Artist Grantees – Assembly for the Arts Grantees were selected using a nationally modeled random selection process.

Congratulations to the 47 artists selected to receive the 2025 Boost Fund cycle 3 grants! These artists represent a range of disciplines: craft, dance, music, visual arts, film, literary arts, and more. See the list of 2025 Boost Fund Grantees buff.ly/iP6YVbc
Stay tuned for 2026 Boost Fund details!

Fill | Now closed: Ideation Session with Cleveland Public Library and the Library of Congress At this point our workshop is full. Please sign up below for the waitlist in case something changes.  We will also use your information to invite you to the following session in February.  Cleveland...

Tuesday, Jan 13 | 6 PM - 8 PM
Cleveland Public Library is partnering with the Library of Congress (LC) to create an interactive experience/exhibit with materials from LC and the Northeast Ohio Broadcast Archive (NEOBA) at the Main Library next year. Join a 2-hour brainstorm. RSVP

NEW DEADLINE: Cleveland Arts Prize has extended the deadline for their Verge Fellowship application until Monday, January 12th. Verge Fellowships are awarded annually an unrestricted stipend of $2,000. More information and application can be found here: buff.ly/xVV2bup

If you believe in a thriving, equitable arts ecosystem in Greater Cleveland, please consider donating to Assembly for the Arts today. Assembly advocates for the arts and builds the infrastructure to sustain them in Cuyahoga County for decades to come. Donate now at buff.ly/kCsUM5q.

Thanks for coming out on a cold December evening to join us for the final Quarterly Assembly of the year! We had a wonderful time honoring artist grantees, live music from Frankie Lopez y los Parranda, sharing 2026 priorities, and networking over delicious food from @panchitas_cle. Join us in 2026!

Mark your calendars for a Holiday Shop & Stroll to support small businesses!
Saturday, December 20 | 9 AM – 8 PM
MidTown Collaboration Center, 1974 East 66th Street
This festive event will bring the community together for a day of holiday cheer and last-minute holiday shopping.

📣 We’re thrilled to announce the 2025 Creative Impact Fund Awardees! This cohort of Cuyahoga County–based artists span dance, theatre, design, film, craft, music, visual arts, writing, and interdisciplinary work.

Learn more about these inspiring artists at buff.ly/n2YRJjQ.

Reminder: SPACES has launched Echo, a new artist residency program supporting visual artists as they develop on-site projects addressing pressing issues and connecting with communities across Northeast Ohio. Applications open through February 10, 2026.

buff.ly/5q0xvky

Empowering Fashion, Crafted with Care | The City Club of Cleveland | December 10, 2025 In a world driven by fast-fashion, mass production, and shifts in retail shopping habits, the fashion industry has faced its fair share of challenges lately—particularly for entrepreneurs and small…

Upcoming Event: Empowering Fashion, Crafted with Care
A conversation with Yellowcake Shop’s Valerie Mayén on Entrepreneurship and Success
Wednesday, December 10 | 11:30 AM – 1 PM at The City Club of Cleveland
Tickets are available now through December 9th. Get tickets at

Have you registered for December's Assembly? Join us on Dec 10th for a festive evening celebrating this year’s accomplishments, honoring our 2025 grantees, and sharing what’s ahead for 2026. Food, live music (Frankie Lopez y Los Parranda), conversation, and networking. buff.ly/d2MZk7I

Spark Your Future: Education Resources Fair
Dec 3 from 4pm to 6:30pm
This fair will highlight educational programs and opportunities in the MCC.

If you are a student, parent, community member or resident of the neighborhood, this event can support your learning.

The event is free. buff.ly/MNSbJTG

JumpStart hostsTech for Small Businesses at the Verizon Community Forward Learning Centers on December 3rd, 4th, and 5th. These events offer an overview of digital tools every small business should use for efficiency, marketing, and customer engagement. Information at buff.ly/Pxbb8kN