Two New Art Festivals Boost the American Midwest’s Culture Quotient
Midwesterners who are arts enthusiasts need no longer travel to a major metropolis for their cultural fix. This summer, Cleveland and Kansas City, Missouri, have both launched citywide exhibitions bidding for spots on the international art-tourist itinerary.
“Our goal is to create a new world-class art destination,” collector and philanthropist Fred Bidwell says. The former advertising executive jump-started “Front International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art,” running through September 30. The ambitious project pulls together a global roster of over 110 artists; eight presenting partner institutions, including museums in nearby Akron and Oberlin; and 28 venues as diverse as the Cleveland Clinic. With $5 million dollars in private and public funding, Front has support from community leaders, politicians, local businesses, and volunteers—thousands of whom attended the opening celebration.
