Akron Soul Train

AKRON SOUL TRAIN WILL BE A NATIONALLY RENOWNED NORTHEAST OHIO MULTIDISCIPLINARY ART PROGRAM SERVING AS A MAGNET TO ATTRACT AND PROMOTE DIVERSE ARTISTS AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION. WE WILL BE A CATALYST FOR THE ARTS, OFFERING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GREATER AKRON RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE WITH ARTISTS AND PARTICIPATE IN THE ARTISTIC PROCESS. IN ALLIANCE WITH OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, WE WILL INSPIRE THE MINDS AND LIVES OF ARTISTS AND OUR VARIOUS AUDIENCES. IN 2019, AKRON SOUL TRAIN ESTABLISHED A PERMANENT GALLERY SPACE ON SOUTH MAIN STREET IN THE HEART OF AKRON'S DOWNTOWN ARTS DISTRICT, GIVING THE COMMUNITY MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO VIEW AND PARTICIPATE IN VISUAL ART EXHIBITIONS, PERFORMANCES AND WORKSHOPS OF OUR RESIDENT ARTISTS. THEN IN 2020, AFTER THE PANDEMIC SHUT-DOWN, AKRON SOUL TRAIN EXPANDED ITS FOCUS AND OPENED AN INNER GALLERY SPACE CALLED THE CAPSOUL GALLERY FOR EMERGING ARTISTS AND COMMUNITY PROJECTS.

AKRON SOUL TRAIN HAS AWARDED 49 ARTISTS WITH RESIDENCIES SINCE ITS INCEPTION. THE AKRON SOUL TRAIN SELECTION COMMITTEE SCORES ARTISTS ON THE INNOVATIVENESS OF THEIR WORK PROPOSAL, ORIGINALITY OF THEIR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT AND QUALITY OF PAST WORK IN ORDER TO BRING TO THE AKRON COMMUNITY TOP-NOTCH CULTURAL EXPERIENCES. AKRON SOUL TRAIN EXISTS NOT ONLY TO SUPPORT ARTISTS IN CREATING A NEW BODY OF WORK, BUT ALSO TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH THE PUBLIC. A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS INCLUDES APPLICANTS DEMONSTRATING THEIR PLANS FOR A PUBLIC PROGRAM CONSISTING OF A WORKSHOP, DEMONSTRATION, PROJECT INTERACTION, OR ARTIST TALK AND WHAT NEEDS THEY HAVE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS. EACH ARTIST WORKS WITH THE COMMITTEE AND STAFF TRAINED IN ARTS MANAGEMENT TO FULLY DEVELOP THEIR PLANS FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WITH THEIR WORK. THE BENEFIT OF A RESIDENCY WITH AST IS SUMMED UP BY MICAH KRAUS, "I WAS ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH FLOCO TORRES, NCCAKRON AND STEPHEN TOMASKO. HAVING THE EXHIBITION AFTER THE RESIDENCY PUSHED ME TO MAKE A COHESIVE BODY OF WORK, WHICH HAS LED TO ARTISTIC MOMENTUM AS WELL AS MANY ART SALES. ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO EXHIBIT IN OTHER SHOWS BECAUSE OF THE EXPOSURE OF THE RESIDENCY AND EXHIBIT." AKRON SOUL TRAIN ENJOYS COLLABORATING WITH A VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT GREATER AKRON FOR PERFORMANCE SPACE, MARKETING ASSISTANCE, VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT, SPECIALTY STUDIO SPACES INCLUDING PRINTMAKING EQUIPMENT, RECORDING EQUIPMENT, AND KILNS. THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE INSTRUMENTAL TO THE WORK OF AKRON SOUL TRAIN BY ENSURING OUR ARTISTS HAVE ACCESS TO THE MATERIALS THEY NEED TO COMPLETE THEIR PROPOSED PROJECT. RESIDENCY WORK IS EXHIBITED AT THE BURTON D. MORGAN EXHIBITION SPACE WITHIN THE AKRON SOUL TRAIN GALLERY LOCATED IN THE HEART OF AKRON'S DOWNTOWN ARTS DISTRICT. AKRON SOUL TRAIN HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS A PLACE FOR EQUITY, AND THE RELATIONSHIPS FORGED THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY HAVE LAID A FOUNDATION IN ATTRACTING A DIVERSE POOL OF ARTIST RESIDENCY APPLICANTS. WE ARE PROUD THAT THE DIVERSITY AMONG THE CHOSEN ARTISTS OCCURS ORGANICALLY. EACH ARTIST BRINGS THEIR OWN VOICE RESULTING IN 38% MINORITY AND 46% FEMALE REPRESENTATION FOR THE 2021 SEASON OF ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE. THE 2021 SEASON INCLUDED THIRTEEN RESIDENCIES CULMINATING IN EIGHT VISUAL ARTS EXHIBITIONS, AN EXPERIMENTAL FILM, A CONTEMPORARY INDIAN DANCE PERFORMANCE, AN INTERDISCIPLINARY PERFORMANCE AND TWO PUBLIC ARTWORKS.