Downtown Akron Partnership (DAP) announces that it will host the Downtown Art Works event series in conjunction with several monthly Artwalks thanks to support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation. These Artwalks will feature films, fashion, interactive public competitions, performers, prizes and other activities, that all highlight the thriving arts and culture scene in Downtown Akron. In combination with DAP’s First Night® Akron event on New Year’s Eve, this annual cycle of events invites guests of all ages to celebrate arts and culture and enjoy Downtown Akron throughout the year. Downtown Art Works events will take place during the evening on the first Saturday of the months of May 2012, September/October 2012 and March 2013. “The arts are an enjoyable way to help people connect to their communities. And communities thrive when people are engaged,” said Jennifer Thomas, Akron director for Knight Foundation, which is funding the live performances at each event. The May 2012 event will feature both a film and fashion competition. In September and October, artists will have the opportunity to present their work to the public and the public will vote for their favorite pieces in the Akron Art Prize competition sponsored by The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation. The March 2013 event will feature an Artigras theme that is still being developed. “Our intent is to invite public participation in the arts in a new and exciting way, bringing more people into Downtown to celebrate and support our vibrant arts scene. We look to partner with local and regional artists to reinforce the connection between the arts and the greater Akron community,” said Suzie Graham, president of Downtown Akron Partnership. Each of the Downtown Art Works events will feature performances and competitions with the opportunity for the public to vote for winners using SMS (text to vote) technology. Guests ages 16 and over with a valid driver license may register to vote with their cell phones during Downtown Art Works or pre-register in the weeks before the events at www.downtownakron.com/artworks. Voting will take place during a limited time frame and will only be allowed within Downtown Akron, encouraging guests to attend and experience each event. May 2012: Film & Fashion On Saturday, May 5, 5-10 p.m., the inaugural Downtown Art Works event will feature Film & Fashion. This collaboration between DAP, Akron Film+Pixel and NOTO boutique will include short films, a fashion show, an interactive public competition, and added performers and activity throughout the footprint. Guests will text to vote for their favorite films and fashion designers, and the winners will be announced from the runway at Northside Lofts at the conclusion of the event. Akron Film+Pixel is recruiting budding and established film makers to submit their 60 second or less movie entries in the Short Attention Span Film Festival. The films will be shown on a continuous loop in multiple venues throughout the footprint during the Artwalk, including on the outside of the John S. Knight Center (weather permitting). The winning film maker will receive film editing software donated by the Akron Digital Media Center/Akronist.com. Submissions for the Short Attention Span Film Festival must be submitted by April 30, 5 p.m. and be appropriate for a general audience. For more information or to enter, visit www.akronfilm.com. NOTO, Downtown’s premiere women’s fashion boutique, will hold the NOTO Northside Fashion Show in the retail section of Northside Lofts on Saturday, May 5, 8 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.). Tickets for this annual fashion show, brainchild of boutique owner Lauren Ward, are available for $30 and include access to the fashion show, drink tokens and an exclusive NOTO gift bag. After the ticketed fashion show, the venue will open to the public at 8:45 p.m. with a Featured Designer Challenge, featuring looks by local fashion designers that showcase their style and vision. The winning designer will have their line featured and available for purchase this summer at NOTO. For more information about the NOTO Northside Fashion Show and the Featured Designer Challenge, visit www.zelionoto.com. September/October 2012: Akron Art Prize Sponsored by The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation During the September/October 2012 Downtown Art Works events, DAP will present the first-ever Akron Art Prize competition sponsored by The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation. The competition will welcome public art submissions, and guests will text to vote to determine the winners of a $5,000 first place award and five runner-up awards of $1,000 each. Akron Art Prize is modeled after similar public art competitions that have emerged throughout the country and is intended to encourage conversations and excitement about art and our Downtown core. The submitted works of art will be matched with venues throughout the Downtown Akron Artwalk footprint that will be open to the public for viewing and voting. Venues are currently being evaluated and it is expected that hundreds of spaces will be available to house entries. The first round of voting will take place between Saturday, September 1 and Sunday, September 16. Up to ten works selected by the public will be featured in the final round of voting between Friday, September 21 and Saturday, October 6, when the Akron Art Prize winners will be announced during the Artwalk. Artists at least 18 years of age who are interested in submitting a piece to the Akron Art Prize competition may register beginning the week of April 30 through Friday, July 6, 2012. The competition is open to both solo and collaborative artists, two or three dimensional pieces, and time-based or performance oriented entries. Each artist must pay a $10 fee and sign an agreement to participate. Visit www.downtownakron.com/artprize for rules, artist registration information and event details. Downtown Art Works Continues into 2013 The 17th annual First Night Akron celebration on Monday, December 31 will kick off another vibrant year of the arts in Downtown Akron. Admission buttons will be available for $10 beginning Friday, November 23 and children under 10 may attend free of charge with a button wearing adult. The Discover Downtown Akron Passport will also be available for $15, and admission to the 15 events included in the price of the Passport with begin with entry to First Night Akron. An Artigras theme for the March 2013 Downtown Art Works event is currently under development. Downtown Art Works is a program of Downtown Akron Partnership and is generously supported by the City of Akron, County of Summit, GAR Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation. About Downtown Akron Partnership The mission of Downtown Akron Partnership (DAP) is to promote and build a vibrant and valuable Downtown. DAP is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing people, activity, business and a thriving civic life to the heart of Akron. Through strategic marketing, clean and safe programs and management of Downtown’s resources, DAP works to promote Downtown as a gathering place in the center of our community. DAP’s members include property owners, business leaders and government officials who want to improve the image of Downtown as a safe, convenient location for businesses, working professionals and families. DAP is governed by a Board of Trustees as diverse as the interests of our city. For more information, visit www.downtownakron.com. About Knight Foundation Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. The foundation believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit KnightFoundation.org. About The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation, founded in 2001, is a private grantmaking foundation whose primary focus is the mental health field, with secondary interest in education and the arts. The mission is to improve the lives of people with serious mental illness by investing in innovative projects in Northeast Ohio having national transformational impact. For information, please visit www.mcmfdn.org, call 330-655-1366, or email inquiry@mcmfdn.org.