The reimagined masks in Curated Storefront’s online exhibit, MASK-R-AID, can now be seen in person in the storefronts of the Polsky Building, at 12 University Avenue in downtown Akron through September 25, 2020. The skillfully transformed masks demonstrate the ingenuity and persistence of these artists, even in the face of a pandemic and economic shutdown.
You’re never far from a live performance, art gallery or public art installation in Akron, Ohio. Over the past decade, this Great Lakes city – home to artists like Devo and the Black Keys – has transformed from a rundown former industrial town into a vibrant hub for artists of all kinds (and a wallet-friendly tourist paradise).
Take a colorful walking tour
Curated Storefront is a 2016 $100,000 Knight Arts Challenge winner that aims to showcase buildings that are abandoned, with a few under renovation, through ongoing, curated exhibitions. The current multimedia work ranges from brilliantly lit LED displays to digitally printed, cut and folded paper houses.
The idea is to draw people into downtown and activate the properties, some of which sat empty for years but sold or were rented within months of being highlighted through the project, said Executive Director Rick Rogers.
