NEW CASTLE, Pa. – Three photography exhibitions will open this month at Arts & Education at the Hoyt.
Each one examines abandoned or deteriorated spaces – not as remnants of the past but as vessels of memory, resilience and meaning. Through distinct yet interconnected perspectives, the combined collections explore what remains when people leave – and what those places continue to convey.
The exhibitions are by Diane Beatty, Eric Kunsman and Dina Liguore. They will open Feb. 3 and run through March 12 in the main galleries. Admission is free. A public reception for the artists will take place from noon to 2 p.m. Feb. 21.
The Hoyt is at 124 E. Leisure Ave.
Beatty studied painting and printmaking at Youngstown State University. She found her artistic calling when she stepped inside the Sheet and Tube company homes in Campbell, Ohio. Her uncles had worked in the steel mill in Campbell, giving her a family connection.
She would shoot additional photos in the abandoned houses, churches, theaters and factories that have been left behind. Some sites are now being restored, while others have since been razed – adding more significance to the images.
Kunsman, a Bethlehem native who now lives in Rochester, N.Y., began photographing payphones in his neighborhood. He learned in the process that they were not instruments of crime as he had assumed but lifelines for the poor. The choice by Frontier Communications to continue operating payphones in these Rochester neighborhoods was an altruistic calculation, he said.
Three payphones are included in the exhibit that, when dialed with an image’s “telephone number” give the location and story behind it.
Where many see decay, Liguore sees intrigue and wonder. She has been drawn to the “haunting beauty” of peeling paint, dusty windows and the resilience of nature reclaiming forgotten places for as long as she can remember. In her exhibit, she explores the quiet persistence of doors as portals, transporting the viewer past memory and neglect into reflection and the possibility of what lies on the other side.
A Youngstown native, Liguore received her first camera, a Kodak 110, while still a child.
Beatles, Rolling Stones Tribute Acts to Battle
WARREN, Ohio – The debate of “Who’s better: The Beatles or the Rolling Stones” has been going on ever since the two British rock bands first crossed paths on the charts 61 years ago.
Tribute acts for the two legendary bands – Abbey Road and Satisfaction – will engage in an onstage throwdown at Robins Theatre at 7:30 p.m. April 17.
“Music fans never had a chance to see the Beatles and the Rolling Stones perform on the same marquee,” said Chris LeGrand who plays Mick Jagger in the show. “Now, music aficionados can watch this debate play out live on stage.”
During the two hour show, the bands will perform two sets each, trading places in quick set changes and ending the night with an all-out encore involving both bands.
Tickets are available online at RobinsTheatre.com, by phone at 234 437 6246 and at the box office, 160 W. Market St.
Lawrence County Visitors Guide Released
NEW CASTLE, Pa. – The Lawrence County 2026 Visitors Guide is now available. It can be downloaded for free HERE.
Printed copies can also be ordered at the site.
The guide is packed with listings and articles about things to do in the county, including food trails, fishing, bird-watching, waterfalls and America 250 events that celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Acts Theater to Present ‘Love’ Cabaret
SHARON, Pa. – Acts Theater will present the cabaret show “Love … Actually, It’s Complicated” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20-21 and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 22. For tickets and information, go to ACTSPac.org or call 724 815 4388.
The theater is at 40 S. Irvine Ave., downtown.
The show tells the story of what happens when love becomes something you have to reckon with.
It puts a new spin on the theater’s cabaret shows, telling a story of love that is fuller than usual.
It will feature soaring ballads, driving rock songs, breakup numbers and more.
Sara Campbell is directing the show and is also in the cast, along with Mike Allenbaugh, Roxanne Chapman, Krystal Miller, Miriam Necastro, Tom Perman and Thomas Morelli.
The cabaret also marks a fresh chapter for the 40 Below space itself.
The room has been given a new stage and seating layout that ensures clear sightlines from every seat. The space also now has a darker, more intimate look.
JCC Seeks Sponsors for Golf Classic
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Jewish Community Center of Youngstown will hold its annual Suzi Solomon Golf Classic on June 8 at Squaw Creek-Avalon Golf and Country Club, 761 Youngstown-Kingsville Road SE, Vienna Center.
Registration and lunch are at 10:30 a.m.; tee time is at 11:45 p.m. A cocktail hour will be at 5 p.m. Included will be an auction and raffle.
Sponsorship opportunities are available. To register or become a sponsor, click HERE. Sponsors and participants help teach hundreds of local children how to swim, feed 700 homebound seniors every week, provide high-quality childhood education to more than 100 students every year and more.
The JCC Suzi Solomon Golf Classic celebrates the life of avid golf enthusiast and local Jewish community member Suzi Solomon. This event directly benefits the Jewish Community Center of Youngstown and is made possible through the Suzi Solomon Philanthropic Fund of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation and other sponsors and donors.
Pictured at top: A photograph from Diane Beatty’s exhibition at the Hoyt in New Castle, Pa.