Many cultures on display at Cleveland Cultural Festival
By Arooj Ashraf, La Prensa Correspondent

Twenty seven exhibitors brought world cultures to Tower City Center in celebration of the first Cleveland Cultural Festival held on July 14 and 15, 2011. Vendors, artists and community organizations set up jewelry, artwork, ethnic clothes, and crafts along the fountain as nearly 2000 visitors browsed through.
 

“The idea is to highlight the different cultures and aspects of Cleveland culture to show what a wonderful melting pot we have in the city,” said Lisa Nemeth, event coordinator and owner of Northcoast Promotions, Inc.

She said the countries represented range from Peru, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Germany, Africa, USA, and many local community groups that showcased the city’s sprit through the years.

“Feedback from vendors and visitors has been great,” said Nemeth, who has already received inquiries about next year’s event and “will be expanding the festival to include cultural music and dance performances and hot food.”

Planning for the festival began six weeks ago, and coincided with other cultural events taking place in the Cultural Gardens. The American Council for Polish Culture unveiled a monument dedicated to Ignacy Jan Paderewski, also known as “Champion of Liberty.” Paderewski was a musician, pianist, composer, politician, and philanthropist, and performed in Akron in 1891.

Nemeth said Northcoast Promotions, Inc. hosts between 80-100 shows a year throughout the greater Cleveland area, but this was the first festival to celebrate multiple cultures at the same time. Northcoast Promotions is a nonprofit organization and collaborates with multiple cultural groups to increase appreciation of arts and crafts within the region.

One of their many monthly projects includes collaboration with 78^th Street Studios and their artwalks on every third Friday of the month.  Located between W. 78 and W. 80^th Streets, in Gordon Square the Studio is reviving more than just arts and culture in Cleveland.  The former American Greetings Studio building has been renovated in to creative studio space for local arts and is bringing new life to the Detroit Shore way Neighborhood District.

Cuban artist Augusto Bordelois owns his own studio space and is thrilled with his life as an artist in Cleveland. He said the city offers comforts and luxuries to practice art in ways that struggling artists in New York can only dream about.

For more information about Northcoast Promotions, Inc. visit: http://northcoastpromo.com/
 

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Revised: 07/19/11 13:31:46 -0700.