Members of the Akron League of Creative Interventionists. Photo by Eileen Matias.

Without fear, what would you accomplish?

The Akron League of Creative Interventionists debuted a Bus Stop Confessional in October to encourage people to think and talk about fear in a way that can inspire personal growth.

The league members armed themselves with sidewalk chalk and wrote provocative questions near Akron bus stops.

They asked, “Without fear, what would you accomplish?” “Can fear be positive?” and “What do you fear?”

This group of artists – amateur and professional – has been fearless in building connections by growing the group and by networking with other Akron organizations in person and on social media.

The Oct. 31 Bus Stop Confessional wasn’t the only opportunity the Akron League of Creative Interventionists used to fulfill their mission of creating shared experiences in public spaces to break down social barriers and build connections.

Each month the group builds an event around a theme set by the league’s founder, San-Francisco-based artist Hunter Franks.  Knight Foundation gave Franks more than $55,000 to create leagues in four Knight cities: Akron, Detroit, Philadelphia and Macon, Ga. October’s theme was Fear. November’s theme is Gratitude.

In October, instead of holding one meeting to plan the month’s fear-themed event, they held two, said league leader David Swirsky.

“Organically, it just turned into a social hangout,” Swirsky said of the first October meeting.  By the time they settled on an idea, it was time to wrap things up.

The second, equally enthusiastic meeting was set a few days later to map out plans for the Bus Stop Confessional.

“I’ve met some incredible souls I would never have been able to meet before,” said Megan Shane of Akron, a metal smith who has been with the league from the first meeting in August. She was the artist who crafted a 6-by-8-foot arch in 30 minutes just for the Color event in September.

Each month, new people join the core group of league members, increasing and diversifying the artistic talent in the group.

The group’s Facebook page has grown to 182 members, from 150 just a month ago. And the conversation on it now also includes representatives from other Akron art and Akron city-focused organizations interested in partnering with the league.

Already the Downtown Akron Partnership has reached out to see if the league would be interested in participating in the New Year’s Eve First Night event.  (Yes, they are.)

They are talking with the Akron Cooking Coalition – which organizes a vegan/vegetarian potluck dinner every two weeks – about having a mixer, Shane said.  “I’m thrilled it’s happening,” Shane said. “I’m looking forward to expanding the group.”

Earlier in October, Swirsky was invited to represent the league on the Detroit Learning Exchange (#Akron2Detroit) trip that recruited young professionals from Akron to visit and be inspired by the young professionals building the community in Detroit.  Organized by Kyle Kutuchief and Nicole Mullet of Akron Torchbearers and Josh McManus, Knight Foundation’s program director in Akron, the two-day trip was punctuated with #Akron2Detroit tweets.

In an email, Mullet said, “We came back with a renewed love for our community and a desire to work together to see great things happen in Akron. David was a wonderful addition and I’m so glad he was able to attend. We need as many bright, passionate, hard-working people as possible in Akron!”

Swirsky was buzzing with ideas about permanent art in public spaces, the benefits of organizations working together and cross-promoting each other’s work, and the League applying for a Knight Cities Challenge grant with an idea on how to make Akron a better city.

What’s your best idea to make cities more successful? The Knight Cities Challenge offers applicants a chance to share in $5 million by focusing on that question. The contest will test the most innovative ideas in talent, opportunity and engagement in one or more of 26 Knight Foundation communities. The challenge is open for entries through 5 p.m. Eastern Time today, Friday, Nov. 14. Apply at KnightCities.org