Downtown Living Blog

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Want full arts access at a fraction of the price? Sign up for a ColumbusArts Card and get discounts to arts tickets and admissions across the city, invites to exclusive, free members-only events and a weekly e-mail blast with the inside scoop on where to use your membership. Pay $40 for an annual membership and get more than $1,300 in discounts! Go to ColumbusArts.com for more on the ColumbusArts Card and sign up today to start receiving your member benefits. Here's an example of a ColumbusArts Card event happening this week:

Columbus Children's Theatre presents The Sound of Music

Join Columbus Children's Theatre as it presents Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music from April 10 - 27 at the Columbus Performing Arts Center. Your ColumbusArts Card entitles you to a discounted ticket at the senior or children's rate per performance. Call 614-224-6673 or visit www.colschildrenstheatre.org.

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4. Columbus Arts Community Springs To Life with AGORA 2008

COLUMBUS, Ohio (April 8, 2008) - The Couchfire Collective has announced Agora 2008 will take place on Friday, April 18 and Saturday, April 19, 2008. Agora is the brilliant showcase of Central Ohio's art, music and community - bringing artists and art patrons together to celebrate Columbus' diverse and talented creative community.

Agora guests have the opportunity to view and purchase hundreds of works of art, wander through over fifty working artists' studios, experience performance acts and enjoy a variety of musical guests.

An exclusive preview event featuring art, a silent auction, musical acts and live performances will be held on the evening of Friday, April 18, 2008 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 pre-sale and $25 at the door. The evening will feature special guest Maryellen O'Shaughnessy, member of Columbus City Council and strong supporter of the arts in Columbus. Maryellen will be presenting awards to artists during the Preview Party. Food from local restaurants and drinks are provided.

There is a suggested entrance fee of $3 for the main event on Saturday, April 19, 2008. Doors open at 3 PM. Additional information can be found on the website.

Agora 2008 is being hosted and orchestrated by the Couchfire Collective, an innovative group of individual artists committed to furthering civic development by increasing awareness of the artistic community. The event will be co-hosted by Junctionview Studios, a multi-function warehouse where more than 50 artists and performers work, display and perform. Agora is located at Junctionview Studios, 889 Williams Avenue in Grandview Heights, Ohio.

Over 250 visiting artists, 50 artists with studios, numerous musical acts, video and performance artists have been selected and over 3,000 art patrons are expected to attend. Agora will also showcase a sampling of Columbus's best local restaurants and eateries.

Preview night musicians will include acoustic guitar master John Morgan, experimental rock by Dayton band Paego Paego, electronic musician Count Funkula, and more. Main night musicians will include progressive rockers Six Gallery, indie folk band Russenorsk, Sinkane, Amanda Heironimus, and many more. Music runs from 3pm to midnight.

Performances by Kristina Isabelle Dance Company, HighJinks, Available Light Theatre, Queen Mae and the Bells, and many others will be scattered throughout both nights of the event.

Agora 2008 marks the first Agora and largest community arts event since Columbus, Ohio was self-proclaimed the "Independent Art Capital of The World." The Columbus Independent Art Capital movement is fueled by and exists to support the exchange of ideas, attraction of speakers and art makers from around the world, and celebration of the rich arts culture tradition of Columbus. Agora 2008 will kick off the first summer of The Independent Art Capital of the World.

About Agora

Our mission is to create an inclusive, positive environment in which artists of all disciplines, ages, and skill levels can present their works to an enthusiastic community of art patrons. We want Agora to serve as a networking hub that connects artists with buyers, musicians with listeners, and performers with audiences. By providing an opportunity for guests to experience local creativity first-hand, we hope to strengthen and raise the profile of Ohio's creative community.

About The Couchfire Collective

The Couchfire Collective is a group of twelve members who share a common drive to progress as individual artists, develop as a collective, and to raise the profile of Columbus' creative community.

Our mission is to provide artists and art patrons with diverse opportunities to make connections and become active participants in the local arts scene. We advocate collaboration and communication between individuals, groups, and professional organizations who have a mutual interest in the arts. By positioning ourselves as enthusiastic innovators, we work to promote awareness of the artistic community as an essential component of civic development.

About Junctionview Studios

Junctionview Studios is a multi-function warehouse in Columbus, Ohio. More than 50 artists and performers work, display, and perform here. The space is home to periodic shows each month as well as a few really big shows throughout the year.

Our mission is to create a stable, productive environment that encourages artists to pursue their passion, and share their vision with the community at large.

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5. Slow Food Columbus will be working with local restaurants and food artisans to produce a series of events designed to stimulate and educate the palate. Slow Food's Taste Education series will allow participants to sample some outstanding examples of fine food and drink while listening to, and conversing with, experts on the food being consumed. The inaugural event in the Taste Education series will be a tea tasting at ZenCha Tea Salon on April 20; other events being planned include wine tastings from the south of France, Scotch tastings and Biodynamic Ohio Honey tastings. For details visit slowfoodcolumbus.org ; to be notified of events as they become finalized, go to the website and join the mailing list.

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NETWORKING SESSION AT NATIONWIDE ARENA

Monday, April 21, 6pm

Join us for a special networking event with top executives from the Columbus Blue Jackets and Columbus Destroyers, followed by an Arena League Football game (Columbus Destroyers vs. Philadelphia Soul), which will be nationally televised on ESPN2. Tickets are $25 per person, which includes admission, a Destroyers game ticket, snacks, and a drink ticket for the networking session. To obtain tickets for this event, call Brian Laurent at 614-246-7293 or e-mail blaurent@bluejackets.com.
· Who will be there:
Larry Hoepfner, Vice President of Business Operations
Paul D Aiuto, Vice President of Corporate Development
Marc Gregory, Vice President of Marketing
Todd Sharrock, Vice President of Public Relations
T.J. LaMendola, Chief Financial Officer
David Paitson, Vice President of Ticketing
· When: Monday, April 21st, 6:00pm, followed by the Columbus vs. Philadelphia game at 8pm
· Where: Nationwide Arena, 200 W. Nationwide Blvd. (Arena District)
· Cost: $25 (includes game ticket, snacks, and drink ticket for the networking session)

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GO GREEN! CELBRATE EARTH DAY!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
6:00-8:00PM
Whole Foods select appetizers & cash bar at Whole Foods Store (161)

Come hear a discussion on issues such as:

1. What is organic?
2. Small actions, big difference!
3. Recycling opportunities!

3670 W. Dublin Granville Rd
Columbus, OH 43235

RSVP to: Vickie Long @ vicki2@poshevent.com

Also, don't forget to shop at Whole Foods on the 22nd too! 5% of all net sales are donated to Green Columbus!!

www.ypcolumbus.org
www.wholefoodsmarket.com

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10. COLUMBUS JAZZ ORCHESTRA, Byron Stripling, Artistic Director presents

NEW ORLEANS ON PARADE - Starring Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews
April 23-27, 2008
WED-SAT 8 PM / SUN 2 PM, 7:30 PM
Southern Theatre / 21 E. Main Street

Stay tuned for a very special offer for YPs to meet and greet Trombone Shorty at a post-concert event on Friday (4/25) evening!

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11. Ohio Statehouse Commemorates Life of Abraham Lincoln

Tuesday, April 29, 2008 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Ohio Statehouse Rotunda and Crypt, Broad & High Streets; downtown
Columbus

Free!

The 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A, Civil War re-enactors will provide an honor guard from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the site where the slain President lay in state in the Ohio Statehouse Rotunda on April 29, 1865.

Special presentations highlighting Lincoln’s Funeral Train will take place in the Statehouse Crypt at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Abraham Lincoln historian, John Ward, will provide an educational presentation utilizing stories, artifacts and educational materials. Each presentation is a half hour in length.

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12.
Stop by the Clean Air Fair Wednesday April 30 from 11am to 1pm in the Arena District's Battelle Plaza, corner of Front St. & Nationwide Blvd during your lunch break, featuring:

· Free ice cream and music thanks to CD101.

· Hybrid cars thanks to Clean Fuels Ohio and Central Ohio Toyota Dealers.

· Great raffle prizes, including a new bike thanks to Cyclist Connection; and gift certificates thanks to Buca di Beppo, Chipotle, Consider Biking, Cotters Restaurant, Earth Share of Ohio, Frog Bear & Wild Boar Bar, Gordon Biersch, Max & Erma's, Rise & Dine Restaurant, and V Power Yoga.

· 15 exhibitors, including organizations representing the health, environmental and transportation sectors—emphasizing the importance of clean air.

· Clean Air Awards presentation at Noon, awarding three local businesses/individuals for their dedication to reducing air pollution in central Ohio. To view those winners click here.

· A press conference following the Clean Air Awards from The Breathing Association, announcing their new Clear the Air Initiative.

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13. “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!” Awesome movie. And, hosted by Mike Brown? What could be better?

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14. The Ohio State University’s African American Alumni Reunion scheduled for the weekend of May 2-4, 2008. http://www.alumni-osu.org/aaas/ Thanks so much and Go Bucks!

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15. Upcoming WACC Young Professionals Networking Events!
*May Golf Clinic hosted by Little Turtle Golf Club

Thursday, May 8
5400 Little Turtle Way, Westerville, 43081
5-6 p.m.: Golf lesson by Little Turtle Pro, Alecia Larsen
6-7p.m.: Cash bar and appetizers available
$20 stakeholder/$30 non-stakeholder

All ages and skill levels are welcome. Both men and women are encouraged to participate.
Space is limited, registration required.

If any YPs are interested in testifying, they should give me a call. I can help guide them through the process and make it as painless as possible. I think that this a good way to provide visibility for Columbus’ vibrant YP community.

I have attached Senator Stivers’ sponsor testimony that provides a summary of the legislation. (see attached “Sponsor testimony.doc”)

Thanks.
Steve Tugend
Vice President, Government Relations
Columbus Chamber
steve_tugend@columbus.org
Office: 614-225-6943
Cell: 614-354-9634

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18. CALL FOR BOOK DONATIONS FOR COLUMBUS BOOKS TO PRISONERS PROJECT

Red Bird Books To Prisoners is a Columbus based organization dedicated to sending books and educational materials to incarcerated individuals who need them. As the number of prisoners in the United States grows (now 1 out of every 100 adults in the country, as you may have seen in the news recently), and the educational services and facilities open to them remain uneven and inadequate at best, our group faces a greater and greater demand for books. The Project is seeking book donations of all kinds. If you have a musty closet full of old books--- please consider donating them. Books can be dropped off at the Spore Infoshop at 172 E 5th ave or Betty's Restaurant in the Short North on High Street; or, a pickup can be arranged by calling Jim Straub at 614.429.0324. The books most commonly requested are dictionaries, reference materials of all kinds, legal books and textbooks. That said, just about any and all book donations are sure to meet a need for someone somewhere.
Thank you,
Red Bird Books To Prisoners

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Thanks!
Andrea J. Applegate
Director, Workforce Development - Attract & Retain Talent
ColumbusChamber
go†ahead
37 N. High St.
Columbus, OH 432156
14/225-6900 (office)