Akron Cultural Plan

ArtsNow | Akron, Ohio

WHY

The Akron Cultural Plan is a culmination of more than five years of work by the City of Akron, along with its partners ArtsNow, the GAR Foundation, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The plan seeks to build upon past studies of Akron’s cultural landscape to help the community grow and prosper, with arts and culture at the center of the city’s renaissance.

HOW
Extensive public and stakeholder engagement revealed themes of access, equity, parity, and more. Initial recommendations focused on creating more inclusive creative leadership in Akron and creating access for all.

WHAT

Work on the plan began in early 2019 and was completed in March 2020. Recommendations fell into 10 priority areas: Equity, Accessibility, Education, Talent, Engagement, Connections, Economic Impact, Resources, Placemaking, and Public Art. The planning team continues to assist with ongoing implementation of the Akron Cultural Plan and the Akron Public Art Program.

Why a Cultural Plan?

As part of the Cultural Plan, the team created a
series of videos from community members to
encourage participation throughout Akron. Here
are a few of our favorites. Check out more videos
on our YouTube page!