By Jessie Raynor, Akron Area Arts Alliance Director

This weekend workmen are finishing floors and moving in furniture to the new Creative Business Center at Summit Artspace in downtown Akron. With a generous capital grant from the Knight Foundation, the Akron Area Arts Alliance (AAAA) renovated the second floor of its growing art center to establish affordable, collaborative office opportunities for arts groups and businesses. The facility also offers use of shared office equipment, kitchenette, lunch room, the historic Knight Conference Suite and an intimate venue for performances, rehearsals, arts installations, etc.

AAAA is excited to announce its first office tenant – Akron Film – will move in next week. Founded in 2002 as a student organization at The University of Akron, Akron Film began by presenting an annual film festival on campus. In 2007 it became a 501(c)3, and in 2008 took its first steps into the larger community by holding its most successful film fest to date at Summit Artspace. In 2009 activities moved to the lecture/performance space at the Akron Art Museum, where the group now offers a growing range of film events, workshops and lectures. Fortunately, Summit Artspace neighbors the museum, so Akron Film’s new office is very convenient. The group is run by five very savvy 20 and 30-somethings: Steve Felix, Roger Lucas, Tim Peyton, Alana Gustafson and Cory Sheldon.

Diana Watt, programming/marketing coordinator for the Summit Artspace project, is anxious to attract more tenants like Akron Film for the collaborative office space. “We’re especially pleased to welcome this young, growing arts organization that is ready to move out of a home office into a professional location,” Watt said.

Summit Artspace is located in an art deco building built in 1927 by Charles and John Knight to house their first newspaper, the Akron Beacon Journal