Akron Community Foundation Awards Nearly $4 Million in Grants

Akron Community Foundation has distributed $3.8 million in quarterly grants and approved $693,300 in arts and culture grants chosen by the group’s community investment committee.

The arts and culture funding includes a $15,000 grant for Western Reserve PBS, which will help strengthen its focus on local programming. The grant comes at a critical time as a potential cut in federal funds could affect $1.2 million in support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which represents about 22% of the local PBS budget.

The foundation’s board of directors approved 62 arts and culture grants, including $17,000 for The Nightlight Cinema for operating support, as the nonprofit movie theater doubles its capacity, aiming to serve 40,000 visitors annually with a new 67-seat screen and a community focus in its programming.

Grants will support the following arts and culture programs:

• Akron Art Museum : $51,200 for general operating support, including exhibits, hands-on artmaking, community events and free performances.
• Akron Civic Theatre : $37,500 to support noncommercial arts programming and expand access to community-centered experiences.
• Akron Dream Center : $5,000 to help expand the Creative Labs program, focusing on music production, dance, and a future print shop, serving local junior and senior high school students.
• Akron Municipal Court : $2,500 to support the installation of artwork to help create a calm and welcoming environment for visitors, particularly those facing mental health challenges and addiction.
• Akron Soul Train : $8,500 to offer multidisciplinary, experimental artists the opportunity to expand their creative expressions through paid residencies.
• Akron Symphonic Winds : $6,500 to support free performances for the community, including concerts in the schools.
• Akron Symphony Orchestra : $18,200 to support the Akron Symphony’s youth music and community outreach programming during the 2025-2026 season.
• Apollo's Fire : $12,500 to support the 2025-26 Summit County concert series and Community Access Initiative, which aims to serve 4,500 people in Summit County through baroque concerts and educational initiatives.
• Art Sparks : $12,000 for Dynamite Duos, a peer-based inclusive dance and music curriculum for Akron Public Schools students with developmental disabilities.
• ArtsNow : $35,000 to help advance Summit County's arts and culture sector through events, partnerships and advocacy, and for the ArtsForward program, which provides grants to artists and projects.
• Assuage HER: Summit Artspace : $1,200 to support the Assuage Her initiative, a 10-week arts and entrepreneurship program empowering young women ages 14-19 through creative expression, confidence-building and community connection.
• Ballet Excel Ohio : $7,000 to support the 2025-26 Reach Out and Dance program at Akron Public Schools and the Pre-Professional Ballet Training Scholarship Program, which provides second graders with free in-school dance instruction with renowned choreographers.
• Ballet Theatre of Ohio : $7,000 for the Akron schools outreach program “Take Me Out to the Ballet,” which includes students attending “The Nutcracker,” along with classroom educational activities.
• Buchtel Community Learning Center PTA : $1,500 to support the West Akron Community Parade and Juneteenth celebration.
• The Bath Church, United Church of Christ : $3,000 to attract new audiences for the fall concert series.
• Center for Applied Theatre and Active Culture : $12,500 for operating support for the 2025-26 season at the Balch Street Theatre, including professional development, performances and strategic planning.
• Children's Concert Society of Akron : $10,000 for the Akron Public Schools In-School Concert Series, which brings free live concert experiences to students in an informal setting.
• City of Akron : $50,000 to support the 18th Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival, a series of free outdoor dance performances in neighborhood parks, Lock 3 and Akron Art Museum.
• City of New Franklin Tudor House Commission : $3,000 to help the Tudor House Commission provide free, family-friendly events at the historic Tudor House.
• Cleveland Ballet : $7,000 to support immersive classroom-to-theater performance experiences and programming at Akron Art Museum during the 2025-26 season.
• Cleveland International Film Festival : $6,000 to support Summit County student participation in the festival's youth education programs, including FilmSlam and FilmSlam Streams.
• Cleveland Orchestra : $18,000 to support the 2025 Blossom Music Festival, including 18 concerts of classical performances, family-friendly movie nights and popular music.
• Crooked River Musical Arts : $3,000 to support the promotion and performance of free choral programs.
• Curated Storefront : $12,500 to support public art programming that commissions and exhibits contemporary art to activate underused spaces in downtown Akron.
• Cuyahoga Valley Art Center : $7,500 for operating expenses, including exhibits, events and workshops for artists and residents in the Cuyahoga Falls area.
• Cuyahoga Valley Community Chorus : $2,000 to support the Cuyahoga Valley Children’s Choir for children age 8-12 who live in and around North Hill.
• DANCECleveland : $10,000 to support dance programming with visiting artists in Summit County, providing education at local schools and Firestone and Kenmore community centers.
• Dancing Classrooms Northeast Ohio : $7,000 to teach ballroom dance to fifth and eighth grade students.
• Empowering Queens : $1,500 for The Art of Empowerment, a six-month creative healing program for single mothers in Akron, covering visual arts, writing, movement and storytelling.
• Friends of The Summit : $16,500 to support The Summit FM, Akron’s independent radio station, advancing music-driven wellness, education and connection through programming and partnerships.
• Hearts for Music Inc. : $2,500 to expand its services to Summit County, offering a music ensemble for people of all ages with special needs.
• Highland Square Neighborhood Association : $5,000 to support the PorchRokr music and arts festival.
• Himalayan Arts Language & Cultural Academy : $8,000 to support music and dance education that fosters creativity, connection and well-being for youths and families in Akron’s North Hill community.
• Les Délices : $5,000 to support Baroque-inspired concerts and educational outreach in Summit County and provide yearlong music mentorship for local students.
• The Links Inc. Kent Chapter : $1,750 for a digital photography program designed to introduce Akron youths to career exploration, health, national and international social issues.
• Magical Theatre Company : $13,500 for operating support, including student matinees, touring programs, student scriptwriting and educational programs.
• Makeshift Theatre : $3,000 for a theater series featuring plays with themes of interest to older adults.
• Master Singers Chorale of Northeast Ohio : $5,000 for classical choral concerts in Summit Count.
• MooreDunsonCo LLC : $7,000 to support the world premiere of The Remember Balloons Live!, an intergenerational performance blending dance, live music and multimedia storytelling.
• The Movement Project : $5,000 to support a concert series and in-school residencies to connect Akron students in grades 4-12 with professional dance opportunities that foster creativity and career readiness.
• Music from The Western Reserve : $2,500 to support the 43rd concert season, which expands classical music’s reach by featuring underrepresented artists and engaging more diverse and inclusive audiences.
• National Center for Choreography : $8,500 to support innovative dance residencies and programs that bring nationally recognized artists to Akron while deepening local engagement.
• The Nightlight Cinema : $17,000 to support Akron’s arthouse cinema as it expands access to independent film, deepens community partnerships and creates an inclusive space for shared cultural experiences.
• Ohio Contemporary Ballet : $8,500 to support Akron artistic and outreach activities, including concerts and related education/community engagement.
• OhioDance : $2,500 to support community engagement for Summit County through educational resources, a four-day residency and documentation through the OhioDance Virtual Dance Collection.
• Open Tone Music : $6,000 to support the 10th annual Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival.
• Peninsula Foundation : $6,500 to support Voices in the Valley arts programming, a concert series promoting traditional roots music.
• Phoenix Performing Arts : $2,000 to support a youth-led musical theater season that offers free, accessible performances and expands arts opportunities for local students and families.
• Project RISE-Akron Public Schools : $11,450 for the Arts Can Teach program, which provides live performing arts experiences for local families facing homelessness.
• Rubber City Theatre : $6,500 for operating support, including theatrical performances, youth programming and educational outreach.
• Save the Music Foundation : $5,000 to increase access to comprehensive school music education for elementary students in Akron Public Schools.
• Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens : $35,000 for 2025 general operating support, including exhibits and tours along with education, community events and historic preservation.
• Summit Artspace : $25,000 to support education, art exhibits and programming, along with resources for local artists, including studio space and workshops.
• Summit Choral Society : $16,000 to provide musical training for children and adults.
• Summit County Historical Society of Akron : $25,000 for general operating support, including educational programs and exhibits at the Perkins Stone Mansion, John Brown House and select areas.
• Trust Drum Circles : $2,500 to support community-based programming, including free drumming lessons and immersive drum circles for at-risk youths and adults with disabilities.
• Tuesday Musical Association : $17,500 to support six concerts as well as related education and community engagement activities in the 2025-26 season.
• Wandering Aesthetics : $5,000 to support theatrical educational opportunities and youth performances during the 2025-26 season.
• Western Reserve Historical Society : $20,000 to support educational programs and general operating funds for Hale Farm & Village.
• Western Reserve PBS : $15,000 for arts and culture broadcast programming, including locally and nationally produced content.
• Western Reserve Playhouse : $5,000 to support the Western Reserve Playhouse’s accessible MainStage show ticket prices for the 2025 season.
• Youth Excellence Performing Arts Workshop : $20,000 to support youths and families through a summer workshop, master classes in dance, photography, spoken word, visual art, step and drumline.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Community Foundation distributes nearly $4 million in grants