Category: Fine Arts and Literature

The ACADEMY OF MUSIC was probably the most famous theater in the history of Cleveland and one of the most celebrated in the U.S. It was also among the nation's best drama schools. The theater was opened in 1853 by Chas. Foster of Pittsburgh, who ran it for a short period and then leased it to JOHN A. ELLSLER.

ADRIAN, ARTHUR ALLEN (April 24, 1906 - 21 Oct. 1996) was professor of English at CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY and one of the world's leading authorities on the author Charles Dickens. He was born in Moundridge, Kansas, to Helena Harms and Peter Paul Adrian, and grew up working on the family farm. He graduated from Heston Academy and earned his B.S.

The ANNALS OF CLEVELAND was a white-collar work relief project sponsored jointly by the CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY, the Cuyahoga County Recorder's Office, and the HISTORICAL RECORDS SURVEY relief program of the WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION from 1936 t

APOLLO'S FIRE, a 17th and 18th century baroque orchestra based in CLEVELAND HEIGHTS , first performed in June of 1992. The group was founded by Jeannette Sorrell of the Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute (faculty, 1990-1994), in collaboration with Roger Wright, then Artistic Administrator of the CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA.

The ARK was an informal gathering place for the early Cleveland intelligentsia which led to the establishment of many of the city's cultural institutions, especially the CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. It was a one-story wooden building originally erected on the northeast corner of PUBLIC SQUARE ca.

The ARPAD ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, a professional organization founded to recognize and support scientists, authors, and artists of Hungarian descent, was founded in 1965 by JOHN B. NADAS. Nadas, a native of Hungary, came to the U.S. in 1950 and settled in Lakewood shortly thereafter. He soon became a leader in Hungarian-American affairs.

ART. The development of an art life in Cleveland primarily resulted from the efforts of 2 distinctly different groups within the community: the wealthy patrons of art and the artists themselves. The first group consisted of families who accumulated their wealth from industry and commerce; the artists derived mainly from the German community.

The ART CLUB (also known as the Old Bohemians and the City Hall Colony) was founded by ARCHIBALD WILLARD in 1876. The group was initially composed of artists and friends, primarily of German extraction, who met at Willard's studio in the Union Natl. Bank Bldg. to discuss art and draw from live models.

The ART LOAN EXHIBITIONS were special exhibitions held in 1878, 1893, and 1894 to benefit poor relief and to stimulate interest in art in Cleveland. As in the later shows, the women who organized the 1878 exhibition appealed to both local and national collectors for the loan of works. More than 40,000 people attended the event, many on excursion trains from such points as Erie and Toledo. The Loan Assn.

ART, CONTEMPORARY   Contemporary art is a term used for art produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century.  It is also referred to as the art of today or at times, modern art. Contemporary artists work in a world that is influenced globally, culturally diverse, and constantly technologically advancing.

The BACH FESTIVAL each year focuses worldwide attention on the Cleveland area through the interpretation and enjoyment of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries. Organized at BALDWIN-WALLACE COLLEGE by DR.

BACKUS, JAMES, GILMORE "JIM" (25 February, 1913 - July 3, 1989), was a prolific actor and writer who made a name in television, film, and radio, and later authored books bringing awareness to Parkinson’s disease.

BANDS. Paid professional instrumental groups of any size, but restricted to woodwinds, brasses, and percussion, bands primarily played outdoor concerts and provided march music for parades. Until ca. 1840, Cleveland had virtually no organized bands that could qualify as professional.

BAYERISCHER MAENNERCHOR, sometimes referred to as the Bavarian Men's Choir, is one of several local German singing groups from the 19th century still in existence in 1995. The choir was formed on 20 Oct. 1893 with 70 charter members. During its history it has performed widely, held membership in several local and state singing societies, and functioned as a social club for members, as well as a singing group.

The BECK STRING QUARTET was formed in 1890 by noted Cleveland composer JOHANN BECK. It was one of the forerunners of the Chamber Music Society and contributed immensely to the cultural life of the community.