The Update | Artist to Discuss His Butler Exhibition

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Chuck Olson, an abstract artist based in Indiana, Pa., will give a lecture at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 13, in the Zona Auditorium at The Butler Institute of American Art. Admission is free.

An exhibition of Olson’s work is currently on display on the museum’s second floor.

In his lecture, Olson will discuss the process by which he develops his imagery. He will touch on the influences, materials and methods from which he created the paintings in his Butler exhibition.

Tyler History Center Displays Items It Has Acquired

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A new exhibit at the Tyler History Center, 325 W. Federal St., downtown, highlights the Mahoning Valley Historical Society’s efforts in the recent past.

“Preserving our Past: What’s New at MVHS” features objects acquired since 2020 and demonstrates the society’s efforts to represent the stories of all the people of the Mahoning Valley. 

Objects include a vest made by Youngstown tailor Robert Pollock in 1807, a copy of the Western Reserve Chronicle from 1825 and a sword owned by Colonel Wick.

Other items include household furnishings and textiles such as quilts and coverlets, food processing equipment, tools and equipment for business and industry, clothing and accessories, sports and recreation objects, framed artwork and decorative arts objects. 

Tyler History Center is open from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Young Adult Novelist to Speak at YSU English Fest

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Best-selling author Alan Gratz will be the Thomas and Carol Gay Memorial Lecturer at the 2025 Youngstown State University English Festival, set for April 9-11 on the YSU campus.

Gratz, the author of 20 young adult books, regularly appears on the New York Times bestseller lists. His book “Refugee,” one of the featured titles for the festival, stayed on the list for five years.

Two recent Ohio Poets of the Year, Quartez Harris and Rikki Santer, will also appear at the 2025 festival.

Now in its 47th year, the English Festival is the oldest and one of the largest literary festivals in the country dedicated to young people. This year, 2,600 students and teachers from more than 200 schools in the region will attend, including a school from the Columbus area making its first appearance.

In addition to meeting authors, students will participate in various competitions, workshops and performances. A shortened version of the musical “The Lightning Thief,” part of the Youngstown Playhouse’s 100th anniversary season, will be performed. Students will also attend sessions highlighting the winners of the festival’s annual art and music contests.

Winners of pre-festival contests, including the Candace Gay Memorial Essay Contest, the Jeremy Salvner Memorial Music Contest and art and graphic essay competitions, will be honored at an awards ceremony at the end of each day. Students participating in contests during the festival will also be recognized. More than $15,000 in prize money, books and merchandise will be awarded to more than 200 winners.

Valley Man Uses AI for Historical Novel

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – “History According to AI: The U.S. Presidents,” a new book by Girard native Scott Strain, is available to purchase at Amazon.com.

The self-published book showcases the vast power of artificial intelligence while telling a historical story. 

“History According to AI” dives into how new technology can positively be used to tell a historical story without the political agenda that is so prevalent in today’s politics. “It’s refreshing to read a book about American political figures without the vitriol and animosity that floods American politics today,” said Strain, who used AI for the bulk of the book’s storytelling.

Grove City Orchestras in Season Finale

GROVE CITY, Pa. – The Grove City College Orchestras will close out their season with a concert featuring the world premiere of “Urban Symphony,” a composition by music professor Joseph Hasper.

The concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday April 11, in Ketler Auditorium of the Pew Fine Arts Center. Admission is free. The concert will also be livestreamed HERE.

The Symphony Orchestra will perform Hasper’s composition, which includes electronic dance music (EDM), four movements of varying textures and styles and several soloists from the orchestra. A noted composer, Hasper wrote “Urban Symphony” during a fall 2024 sabbatical.

The orchestra will also perform Beethoven’s Egmont Overture, Philip Lane’s “Pantomime” for string orchestra, and finish with John Williams’ “Flight to Neverland” from the movie “Hook.” The Chamber Orchestra will be performing the 4th movement of Dvorak’s 9th Symphony “From the New World,” Vaughan-Williams’ Norfolk Suite, and “In the Company of Angels,” which features the strings and harp.

Pictured at top: Chuck Olson, an abstract artist, will discuss his work at The Butler Institute of American Art on Sunday.