The Update | Art Exhibit at YSU Gallery; Playhouse Grant for Ticket Outreach
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – “Island of Little Truths,” an exhibition by Cleveland artist Michael Loderstedt, will open Wednesday, Sept. 25, in the Judith Rae Solomon Gallery in Bliss Hall, on the Youngstown State University campus, and run through Oct. 23.
The exhibition invites viewers on a journey of reflection, blending elements of photography, printmaking and storytelling. Loderstedt’s works explore themes of memory, ecology and personal narrative, drawing inspiration from his deep connection to coastal environments. His intricate compositions offer a contemplative look at the intersection of human experience and the natural world.
Loderstedt, a noted visual artist and retired professor of art at Kent State University, is known for his multidisciplinary approach.
Entry to the exhibit is free and open to the public. The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Playhouse Gets Grant to Provide Free Tickets
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown Playhouse has received a $60,000 grant from The Youngstown Foundation to provide free tickets and performances to members of the community who might not otherwise be aware of what it offers.
As part of its 100th season celebration, which is currently underway, the Playhouse launched Hearts for Arts, which is an effort to identify and reach out to new segments of the community. The tickets giveaway is part of the Hearts for Arts program.
“We are proud of the work we have done to entertain and educate our audiences through the years and want to continue reaching out to new audiences,” said John Cox, president of the Playhouse board of directors. “The arts provide so much for the community, and we are thrilled to open our doors to more patrons.”
The program will provide 6,000 tickets to people in the 2024-25 season, including:
- 150 tickets for every mainstage show.
- 200 tickets for every mainstage youth production.
- 450 tickets for students for each mainstage youth production (“Puffs” and “The Lightning Thief”).
The Playhouse is working with the Youngstown City School District, the Beatitude House, the Boys & Girls Clubs and local churches to help identify students and families that will benefit from this program. Those wanting to participate in the program should call the box office at 330 259 9651 and ask for Hearts for the Arts tickets.
Oktoberfest at Penguin City Brewing
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Penguin City Brewing’s third annual Oktoberfest will take place Saturday, Sept. 21, at the downtown brewery.
Proceeds from the sale of Penguin City’s Apple Cider Mule will go toward providing new winter coats to Youngstown students in pre-K to sixth grade.
Here is the schedule of events:
- Limited edition Penguin City Oktoberfest Mug release, noon.
- Vendor village, noon to 6 p.m.
- Stein holding competitions, 3 and 9 p.m.
- The Zolkas, 7 to 10 p.m.
Food will be provided by Lena’s Pierogi House. The event is family and dog friendly.
Columbiana Craft BeerFest at Firestone Farms
COLUMBIANA, Ohio – Columbiana Craft BeerFest 2024: Hops for Tots will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, in Firestone Farms Town Centre, at the intersection of state Routes 7 and 14.
It will include food by Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Homestead Kitchen & Cocktails, Mary’s Pizza and Smoke Worx.
Participating brewers are:
- Aeonian Brewing.
- Biker Brewhouse.
- Birdfish Brewing Co.
- Blue Monkey Brewing.
- BrewLounge Beer Co.
- Good Lady Brewhouse.
- Modern Methods Brewing Co.
- Noble Creature Wild Ales & Lagers.
- Paladin Brewing.
- R & L Lipton – Platform.
- The 1547 Project.
The event will include music by Leanne Binder and Leo D’Angelo and the Dead Foxes.
Tickets are $40 at the door ($30 in advance at columbianacraftbeerfest.com) and include 10 tasting tickets and a 13-ounce master crafter tasting glass.
Historical Society Gets $8K Grant
HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Lawrence County Historical Society has been awarded an $8,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as part of the Cultural and Historical Grant Program.
This funding will help cover operating expenses, including gas heating for the society’s office and historic home, which houses vital archival records and artifacts, according to a press release from state Rep. Marla Brown.
These facilities house the historical society’s extensive archival records and artifacts, which require specific temperature and humidity levels for preservation. The funds will help ensure the historical society can continue maintaining the proper environment to safeguard Lawrence County’s heritage and provide valuable resources for public research and education.
The Lawrence County Historical Society maintains a 1905 historical home and museum, offers educational programs and provides extensive research resources to the public.
High School Poets, Storytellers Contest
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – Local high school poets and storytellers are invited to participate in a creative writing contest sponsored by Westminster College’s Department of English.
Students can submit an original poem or piece of creative nonfiction. Poems should be an ode to a tangible object and a maximum of 24 lines, while nonfiction pieces should be no longer than 2,000 words and engage with one or more meanings of the word “heavy.” All entries should include a title.
All submissions, due by Tuesday, Oct. 1, will be evaluated by Westminster College faculty and students.
The top three participants in each genre will be invited to participate in a creative writing workshop on campus and will be invited to read their work at Westminster’s annual Bleasby Colloquium on Nov. 19, when the first-place winners will be presented with the James Ashbrook Perkins Creative Writing Award.
Contest entries should be submitted to [email protected]. More information is available HERE.
Art Exhibitions Open at The Hoyt
NEW CASTLE, Pa. – Art & Education at the Hoyt’s newest exhibitions present differing views of America through the eyes of artists Nelson Oestreich and David Michael Salerno.
The exhibitions open today. A closing reception for both shows will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 17. Salerno will appear in person. Admission to the galleries is free. The Hoyt is located at 124 E. Leasure Ave.
Oestreich (1932-2014) was an art professor at Westminster College who generated a strong market for his folkish paintings, etchings, wood carvings and woodcut prints from his New Wilmington studio.
His exhibition, “In Retrospect: Wood Prints (1975-1991),” depicts the American experience in general, and the Amish experience in particular.
Arts & Education at the Hoyt received a collection of 42 woodblock prints by Oestreich last July from William and Janet Bodoh. William retired as judge from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Youngstown in 2004. He began collecting Oestriech’s work in the 1970s after meeting the artist at The Butler Institute of American Art. While Bodoh hung on to a few favorites, the bulk of his collection was contributed to the Hoyt to chronicle the artist’s contributions to the Lawrence County art scene and the Hoyt itself.
Oestreich was among the first group of artists involved with the Hoyt in its early years. The collection dates from 1975-1991 and features popular themes of birds, the Amish, lobster boats and the Crusades that were prominent throughout the artist’s career.
Salerno’s “Together, A Portrait of Americans” is an attempt to illustrate the country’s shared humanity despite the differences of its people.
Evening of Stargazing at Westminster
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – Westminster College Planetarium, the Society for Physics Students and the Harms Center for the Environment will present an evening of stargazing from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, at the Westminster College Field Station.
Stargazers will have the opportunity to explore the night sky as it darkens and the stars emerge. Participants will be guided through an exploration of the celestial wonders of the night, locating the North Star, Saturn and constellations from the Ursa Major, Perseus, Zodiac and Hercules families.
The event will also include hands-on demonstrations with astronomy tools such as telescopes and star maps, providing a comprehensive learning experience for star enthusiasts of all levels.
“Observing the night sky in real time adds an extra layer of experience for people who have attended planetarium shows and observed the stars by looking on the dome,” said Charlie Barefield of Driftwood, Texas, a senior honors student, English major and planetarium assistant.
In the event of poor weather, the stargazing night will be rescheduled to Friday, Oct. 4. The event is free and open to the public.
The Westminster College Field Station is located at 947 Fayette-New Wilmington Road, New Wilmington.
For information or to confirm the event in case of weather changes, contact Helen Boylan, faculty fellow for community engagement and professor of environmental science, at [email protected] or 724 946 6293.
MVHS Museums Offer Reduced Admission
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Mahoning Valley Historical Society has joined Museums for All, an access program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Association of Children’s Museums, to encourage people of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum-going habits.
The program allows food assistance (SNAP) recipients to enter the Arms Family Museum and Tyler History Center for $1 per person, for up to four people, with the presentation of their EBT card.
Similar free and reduced admission is available to eligible members of the public at more than 850 museums across the country.
Arms Family Museum and Tyler History Center are open from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Pictured at top: The Youngstown Playhouse will offer free tickets to community members.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
