State of the Art

Inside opulent vaudeville-style theaters, nestled within former industrial factories and tucked away in colorful neighborhoods, Cleveland’s world-class arts and culture scene emerges before visitors’ eyes. Whether ogling over a modern masterpiece, admiring the work of a local artist or tapping their toes to the beat, visitors will encounter boundless creativity and talent throughout their Cleveland experience.

New and Noteworthy

• Cleveland’s MidTown neighborhood will be filled with more than 15 colorful murals as it hosts one of the few U.S. stops – and the only Midwest stop – of the POW! WOW! Festival in June 2020. Inspired by the color-filled pages of comic books, the multi-day festival is recognized as one of the most important and well-curated mural festivals in the world. In addition to local, national and international artists painting murals throughout the neighborhood, the festival also features concerts, performing arts, workshops and free family programming built around the celebration and appreciation of art, music and culture.
• Starting May 24 and running through August 23, 2020, “Picasso and Paper”will present nearly 300 works spanning the pioneering artist’s career. Picasso’s creative spirit and working methods will be examined through a collection of works on paper, ranging from watercolor, pastel and gouache to sculptures constructed from pieces of torn and burnt paper to monumental collages. This groundbreaking exhibition is organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Royal Academy of Arts, London, in collaboration with the Musée national Picasso, Paris.
• After a premier at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, “Play It Loud”took residency at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November 2019 and will run through September 13, 2020. A collaboration between the two museums, the exhibition follows rock music's monumental impact on society and culture through the instruments and sounds that defined its voice. Featuring more than 130 instruments from artists like Chuck Berry, The Beatles, Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell and The Rolling Stones, the exhibition displays many instruments for the first time outside of a performance setting and celebrates the unique role instruments play in shaping the musical genre.
• After garnering a sense of place through the Cleveland Starts Here® exhibit, visitors to the Cleveland History Center can enjoy one of the newest exhibits, “Si Jolie! French Fashion in Cleveland.” Fashion lovers and museum guests can explore how Clevelanders showed off their style at cultural venues like the Euclid Avenue Opera and can expect to see pieces that range from the 1870s to today, including items from the golden age of Dior (the 1950s), Hermès, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton and more.
• As the nation commemorates the Women's Suffrage Centennial and prepares for a presidential election, ”Women and Politics” will fill the Cleveland History Center with a series of permanent and temporary exhibits starting in May 2020. Presented in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland, the exhibits will showcase the story of political women, from the early days of the suffragist movement to the successful fight for the 19^th Amendment, and the creation and growth of the League of Women Voters.

A Work of Art

• The Cleveland Museum of Art is one of the only nationally recognized art museums to offer free admission to its permanent collection, which features more than 45,000 pieces of art from artists like Dali, Monet and Warhol.
• The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland showcases an ever-changing and free-to-all collection of exhibits, ranging from photos and sculpture to audio works and video productions. Designed by renowned British architect Farshid Moussavi, the four-story building rises 60 feet from a hexagonal base to a square top and is clad primarily in mirror-finish black stainless steel – reflecting its urban surroundings and changing in appearance with differences in light and weather.

• Residing at the Cleveland Institute of Art, the Cinematheque is recognized as one of the country’s best repertory movie theaters, showing independent and foreign films as well as revived classics.
• Cleveland’s art scene does not stop at museums. Independent artists showcase their work at venues like 78^th Street Studios in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood, SPACES gallery in the Ohio City neighborhood and the historic Transformer Station in Hingetown, which is located in a 1924 railroad substation. The Collinwood community and its emerging Waterloo Arts District offer a half-mile stretch of indie music venues, art galleries and studios, including Azure Stained Glass Studio, BRICK Ceramics + Design Studio, Space: ROCK and show-stopping metal sculptures at Waterloo 7 Studio/Gallery. Musicians, photographers, writers and other artists who reside in the neighborhood have helped transform the community into an engaging and welcoming hub of creativity.

Hitting the Right Note

• Under the direction of Franz Wesler-Möst, the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra offers pitch-perfect programs that hit the right note with visitors. The ensemble plays seasonally at Severance Hall in the University Circle neighborhood and within the perimeter of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park at Blossom Music Center during the summer.
• In addition to its standard repertoire, The Cleveland Orchestra incorporates innovative programming, which means visitors will find them hosting happy hour-style concerts on select Fridays, playing movie scores in conjunction with a live film, performing mini residencies within Cleveland’s urban neighborhoods and partnering with ballets, operas and other national artists.
• Severance Hall, home of the Cleveland Orchestra since 1931, is known as one of the most beautiful concert halls in the world. Its elegant Georgian exterior harmonizes with the classical architecture of other prominent buildings in the University Circle neighborhood while the interior of the building reflects a combination of design styles, including Art Deco, Egyptian Revival, Classicism and Modernism. The building received the Honor Award by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Free tours are available on select days.
• Founded in 1996, The Cleveland POPS Orchestra performs in different venues throughout Cleveland, taking on modern-day composers like John Williams, Rodgers and Hammerstein and Gershwin.

Taking Center Stage

• Playhouse Square is the country’s largest performing arts center outside of New York City, encompassing ten stages in a one-block radius. It hosts more than 1,000 performances annually including Broadway shows, concerts, ballets and comedy events.
• The Tony Award-winning Cleveland Play House hails as America's first professional regional theater company and produces more than 500 performances each year. Boasting alums like Tom Hanks and Arthur Lithgow, Great Lakes Theater is Cleveland’s classic theater company residing in Playhouse Square’s renovated Hanna Theatre.
• Located on Cleveland’s east side, the Karamu House is the oldest African American theater in the nation. Cleveland Public Theatre in the Gordon Square Arts District is a local hub for progressive theater, modern dance and edgy opera submitted by both regional and national artists.

Art Activities

• Stilt walkers, life-sized puppets, colorful floats, dancers and musicians comprise Parade the Circle, the annual free event in Cleveland’s University Circle neighborhood,. Every June, visitors can watch the parade, partake in creative activities, enjoy live entertainment and nosh on great food offerings.
• With four floors of art, music, food and architecture, Third Fridays at 78^th Street Studios in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood showcases the work of independent Cleveland artists, makers and designers.
• On the first Friday of every month, galleries and restaurants stay open late for Walk All Over Waterloo
  in the Collinwood neighborhood. While on the second Friday of every month in the Tremont neighborhood, visitors can meander through the galleries and shops and check out street performers and pop-up art at Walkabout Tremont. The Little Italy Art Walk gives visitors the chance to ooh and aah at the works of art studios and galleries displayed on the neighborhood’s sidewalks during select months.