AKRON, Ohio — The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is once again asking Akronites for their best ideas to connect people with each other through arts and culture.  

What You Need To Know

  • The Knight Foundation is looking for the best ideas in Akron to connect people and art in the Akron Arts Challenge

  • The arts challenge wants ideas articulated in 150-word proposals from July 1 through July 31

  • Winners will be announced in the fall and share $1 million to launch their ideas

  • Applicants can use audio and video; websites and software; and augmented and virtual reality

The Knight Arts Challenge 2021, now in its fifth year, will accept those ideas — articulated in 150-word proposals — from July 1-31.

The challenge is open to all — artists, arts organizations and anyone with an idea. Winners, announced in the fall, will share $1 million to launch their ideas. They’ll also have access to experts, and could receive additional funding for digital strategies.

The pandemic required people to use innovative ways to reach each other. This year’s Knight Arts Challenge is looking for engaging ways artists and organizations reach audiences, in person, virtually or digitally, especially those who otherwise would not be exposed to their art, the Knight Foundation said.

In the challenge, techniques in audio and video are fair game, as well as websites and software, and augmented and virtual reality, the foundation said.

Since its inception, the Knight Arts Challenge has awarded nearly $3.3 million in Akron for 63 arts projects.

In the 2019 challenge, Rubber City Theatre was awarded $60,000 for the Rubber City Musical Incubator, which allowed the theater to develop musical performances that will be showcased in late summer and fall, including “Into the Woods,” “Heartbreakers in Hell” and “Love in Reserve.”

Rubber City Theatre in the Northside Arts District is a three-time arts challenge winner.

Those entering the arts challenge should submit ideas that make Akron a more interesting place, said executive artistic director Dane Leasure.

“Something that furthers not only the arts discipline that they're applying for, but also what do they think would be exciting … what would you want to see that hasn't really been done?” he said. “And I would say, go for that idea.”

Also a 2019 arts challenge winner, Akron photographer Shane Wynn was awarded $17,000 to create “40%,” a traveling exhibition of photo essays documenting the stories of LGBTQ+ young people who have been homeless because of their sexual identity.

Wynn came up with the idea when she learned that 40% of young people experiencing homelessness are LGBTQ+, despite that demographic making up only 7% of the youth population in the U.S.

With pandemic restrictions lifting, the creation of the exhibit is moving ahead, she said.

Wynn said she likes to create art based on subjects that make her angry or passionate in some way.

“I think it's really important to advocate for people that are not you,” she said. “It really is more significant when you have people that are helping push it along, that are trying to change things not for themselves, but for other people.”

The Knight Arts Challenge is invaluable to the Akron arts community, Wynn said, because it is one of the only opportunities for individual artists to garner funding to create art.

“You have to rise to the challenge, but it really is important that we have that asset,” she said. “It really has made the city more interesting and we have a lot more art around that’s due to the Knight Arts Challenge.”

During the application period, Knight will host two virtual town hall meetings: July 1 and July 26. Knight team members will be available to help applications who have questions about the process and to offer feedback on pitching ideas.  Applicants can sign up online for a conference.

ArtsNow, Akron’s catalyst for arts and culture, will also host community worships. Check the website for more information.