By Joanne Green, Akron Symphony Orchestra

The Akron Symphony Orchestra’s string quartet and members of the Ohio Conservatory of Ballet performed several Random Acts of Culture™ at the Akron Artwalk in downtown Akron. RACs occurred at several locations along the main trolley stops, including the We Gallery, Summit Artspace galleries on the first and third floors, outside Zeber-Martell Clay Studio, and at Akron Glassworks and Millworks Gallery in the Northside arts district.

The Akron Artwalk is a free event that takes place in downtown Akron on the first Saturday of each month. Patrons can experience local art, live music and interactive exhibits for all ages. According to our friends at the Downtown Akron Partnership, “each month the Artwalk features nearly two dozen destinations for art, shopping, dining and entertainment with offerings that fit every budget. Hand-blown glass, pottery, ceramic, paintings, textiles, jewelry and eclectic house wares all dot the footprint of this spectacular monthly event.” Venues are located in the Northside District, on North High Street, and along East and West Market Street.

Here is the first of two videos taken of RACs at the Akron Artwalk and a couple of photos. This Random Act of Culture took place at the Summit Artspace 3^rd Floor Gallery, which is the home of the Akron Society of Artists, the Box Gallery of Artists of Rubber City, and working studios of several locally prominent artists.

With the Akron Symphony’s new home located in the Northside District right in the middle of all the Akron Artwalk action, we are proud to have had this chance to participate in the Akron Artwalk with our new neighbors and hope to have more opportunities to do so in the future.

Why Does Knight Foundation Fund Random Acts of Culture™? Knight Foundation, like its founders Jack and Jim Knight, focuses on promoting informed and engaged communities. To that end, we strongly believe in the potential of the arts to engage residents, and bring a community together. Hearing Handel, or seeing the tango in an unexpected place provides a deeply felt reminder of how the classics can enrich our lives. As you’ll see in our videos, the performances make people smile, dance, grab their cameras – even cry with joy. For those brief moments, people going along in their everyday lives are part of a shared, communal experience that makes their community a more vibrant place to live. In these days of shrinking audiences, we also hope that these random acts will encourage people to attend traditional performances. We can’t promise it. But it’s hard to watch what unfolds during a Random Act of Culture™, and not be inspired to see and hear more.