Date: Saturday, July 25, 2026

Time: 4:00 - 5:00 PM

Location: Cleveland Public Library - Martin L. King Jr. Branch (10601 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106)

• Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

Parking: 2 hours of free parking at the Library’s Artisan Garage (10590 Reserve Court)

• Enter Garage from Reserve Court through East 105th

• Take Ticket at garage entrance

• Park on 3rd or 4th floor of garage; handicapped parking on 1st floor;

• Parking validation will be available at the side desk for the garage behind the library.

Join us for a special community performance celebrating the musical growth, creativity, and connections built through the Inspiration Through Music (ITM) & University Circle Police Department (UCPD) Community Ensemble program.

After eight weeks of collaborative music-making, youth participants will showcase the skills they developed alongside their peers and UCPD officer mentors. This culminating performance celebrates their hard work, teamwork, and the positive relationships built through the shared experience of making music.

Throughout the program, participants explored instruments and music fundamentals, practiced collaboration through small ensembles, and developed confidence, communication, leadership, and creative problem-solving skills. Officers participated as mentors and ensemble members, working alongside youth in a supportive environment centered on respect, teamwork, and connection.

Come celebrate the accomplishments of our participants with family/guardians, friends, and community members!

Help empower Cleveland youth through music!

The Center for Arts-Inspired Learning (CAL) and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are once again partnering to expand access to music education for Cleveland youth through the 2026 Play It Forward!® Cleveland Instrument Drive.

We invite the community to help by donating new or gently used musical instruments at our yearly collection event!

Fam Jam at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

• 1100 E. 9th Street, Cleveland

• Saturday, June 20, 2026

• 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Fam Jam is part of the Rock Hall’s annual Rock the Block Community Events, presented by the John P. Murphy Foundation, and features family-friendly activities, live performances, and community organizations from across Northeast Ohio.

We are accepting:

• Acoustic guitars

• Violins

• Keyboards (no large pianos)

• Drums and percussion (including djembe and timbau)

If you’re interested in donating, please click the button below to visit our Instrument Drive page and fill out our donation form!

Student Performance Highlight

During Fam Jam, youth from CAL’s Summer 2026 Inspiration Through Music camp will perform around 1:15 p.m., showcasing their growth and demonstrating the direct impact of instrument donations in action.

Can’t Attend Fam Jam?

We accept instrument donations year-round in support of this work.

Please use the button above to complete our donation form, and our team will coordinate a convenient time for you to drop off your instrument.

If you would prefer to support this initiative financially, you can also make a monetary gift here to help expand access to music education for Cleveland youth. Select “Inspiration Through Music/Play It Forward!® Cleveland” from the drop down menu to direct your support.

Partners & Supporters

Play It Forward!® Cleveland 2026 is made possible through the support of:

10,000 Watts of Holy Light • Assembly for the Arts • City of Cleveland (including the Mayor’s Office of Prevention, Intervention, and Opportunity for Youth and Young Adults) • Cleveland City Council (including Councilman Kevin Conwell) • Cuyahoga Arts & Culture • IKE Smart City • John J. Adams Scholarship Fund • Ohio Arts Council • Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

May 30, 2026 | 3-5 PM- Inspiration Through Music Spring 2026 Showcase

Location: Cleveland Public Library - Martin L. King Branch (10601 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106)

Parking:

• 2 hours of free parking at the Library’s Artisan Garage (10590 Reserve Court)

  • Enter Garage from Reserve Court through East 105th

  • Take Ticket at garage entrance

  • Park on 3rd or 4th floor of garage; handicapped parking on 1st floor;

  • Bring Ticket to librarian for validation

• Additional free parking at Cleveland School of the Arts (2064 Stearns Rd., Cleveland, OH 44106)

About the event:

Youth from our 2025-2026 Inspiration Through Music program will be showcasing their musical talents on the guitar, violin, percussion, and keyboard in front of families, friends, and other members of the community. Join us a for a special moment while we uplift and cheer on these talented young musicians.

Special Feature!

Participants who have shown dedication and growth throughout the program year are honored with a gift of their own instrument to continue their musical journey!

Special Appearance!

 Ward 9 Cleveland City Council Member, Councilman Kevin Conwell, and his band, The Footprints, will perform. Councilman Conwell will also help hand out the gifted instruments to participants.

Light snacks and refreshments will be available!

April 17, 2026 | 6-8 PM - ArtWorks Live!

Location: Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (11400 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106)

Parking:Click to explore options

About the event:

Join us on Friday, April 17, 2026, for the return of ArtWorks Live! at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (for it’s third year!), where we’re excited to showcase the incredible talent of our twenty 10-12th grade youth apprentices. This year’s showcase invites our apprentices to draw inspiration from past ArtWorks sessions, reimagining and creating new work that bridges the past, present, and future of the arts.

The event features two dynamic co-ops: Mixed Media Visual Arts with CAL Teaching Artist, Kahzar Powell, and African Diasporic Dance with CAL Teaching Artist, Ron'Dale Simpson. Together, these co-ops will present a collaborative mix of visual art and dance performances, with some pieces incorporating spoken word, poetry, and other creative expressions.

Event Highlights:

• Dance performances / Spoken Word

• Visual Arts Gallery

• 50/50 Raffle

• Dance Party / Line-Dancing

• Light Snacks & Refreshments

As we gear up for the 20th anniversary of the ArtWorks program this summer, we’re excited to celebrate and reimagine the creativity that has been a hallmark of this program for two decades. This is an event that showcases the future of the arts through the eyes of youth.

ArtWorks Live! is free and open to all ages, with a suggested donation of $5–$10 per group to support youth arts programming at CAL. Parking is available in nearby garages.

Don't miss out on this incredible evening celebrating the next generation of artists!

Celebrate the Creativity and Leadership of Northeast Ohio’s Youth Artists

Event is free and open to all ages

Celebrate the creativity of young artists from across Northeast Ohio at the Youth Arts Fest — a free, youth-led event featuring art, performance, hands-on activities, and entrepreneurship.

Every part of the event is planned and produced by high school apprentices in the Center for Arts-Inspired Learning’s ArtWorks program. Over eight weeks, these apprentices have been learning event management, logistics, budgeting, communication, and curation, gaining real-world experience while shaping every detail of the event.

What You’ll Experience

• Youth-Curated Art Gallery

• Performance Showcase

• Youth Art Marketplace

• Craft Station

• Face Painting

• Light Snacks & Refreshments

• Opportunities to Donate to Support CAL’s ArtWorks Program

Why It’s Special

The Youth Arts Fest isn’t just about showcasing art, it’s about developing young leaders. CAL’s ArtWorks apprentices are behind the scenes managing every part of the event: coordinating artists, designing the space, handling budgets, and bringing their creative vision to life.

Come experience the creativity, talent, and leadership of the next generation of artists, performers, and entrepreneurs in Northeast Ohio.

Join the Center for Arts-Inspired Learning (CAL) and GiGi’s Playhouse Cleveland for a powerful evening celebrating youth creativity, community storytelling, and the voices of individuals that GiGi’s serves.

Through CAL’s ArtWorks program, twenty high school apprentices learning visual arts and recording arts have spent the summer collaborating with the GiGi’s community to design and paint a permanent mural and produce a multimedia storytelling campaign. The project honors the lived experiences of GiGi’s participants, families, volunteers, and staff while highlighting the role of the arts in fostering inclusion and shared understanding.

At this culminating celebration, guests are invited to experience the unveiling of the mural and listen to excerpts from a youth-produced podcast that brings these stories to life.

Come connect with the youth apprentices, their professional teaching artists, and the GiGi’s Playhouse community as we celebrate the power of art to elevate youth voice, honor community stories, and connect communities.

This event is free and open to the public.

Join us for performances by talented 3rd-12th grade youth, featuring the guitar, violin, percussion, and keyboard/voice!

Immerse yourself in an unforgettable showcase featuring the extraordinary talents of 3rd-12th grade youth! Join us at Trinity Cathedral for mesmerizing performances highlighting guitar, violin, percussion, and keyboard/voice.

As a fun addition, participants who’ve graced our program for two or more sessions will be presented with the gift of choice—an instrument to continue nurturing their musical passion and artistic excellence!

Date: Saturday, May 24, 2025

Time: 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Location: Trinity Cathedral Episcopal Church, 2230 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115

Parking: Available at Trinity Cathedral’s lot and nearby parking garages.

Don’t miss this chance to witness the future stars of the musical world shine bright! Mark your calendar and join us for an afternoon of pure musical enchantment.

This event is free and open to the public.

Join us for an exciting evening celebrating the creativity and hard work of our ArtWorks apprentices as they showcase what they’ve been working on this spring in our co-ops: Songwriting/Recording Arts, Photography, Mixed-Media, and Upcycling.

Enjoy:

🎤 Live performances
🎨 A youth-curated art gallery
🛍️ The ArtWorks Marketplace—shop one-of-a-kind pieces made by the apprentices
🖼️ Full access to all moCa exhibits

This is our second year hosting our spring ArtWorks Live! at moCa, and we’re so grateful to partner with such an iconic space where youth voices and creativity can truly shine.

Don’t miss the chance to support and celebrate the next generation of artists!

Join us for a Fun & Inspiring Line-Dancing Fundraiser! 

Thursday, April 10, 2025 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | $15 per ticket 

Get ready to have a blast while supporting arts education for local youth! Whether you're a seasoned dancer or a first-timer, this all-skill-levels line-dancing class is your chance to groove, connect with the community, and make a difference. 

Your Experience Includes: 

• Instruction from Ron'Dale Simpson, Blakk Jakk Dance Collective LLC 

• Network with arts supporters while exploring the vibrant CentroVilla25 space and local vendors 

• Learn about CAL's mission to provide arts education for youth in Northeast Ohio, with opportunities to contribute to the cause 

• Food & beverages available for purchase from local vendors 

• Free parking available onsite.  

All ticket sales and donations support CAL's mission to bring arts education to local youth!

Get Your Ticket Here

ArtWorks Live! is the culminating event of our ArtWorks program, showcasing the incredible creations of our 40 teen apprentices. This interactive experience not only highlights their artistic talents but also encourages an entrepreneurial mindset through a student market featuring a diverse range of student artwork and creations.

Showcasing the artistic diversity of youth across Northeast Ohio!

The CAL-iday Arts Fest is a vibrant one-day event celebrating our partnership with Cleveland Public Library through captivating drumming performances by youth in CPL’s Drumming Program, led by Teaching Artist Malik Burks. These dynamic performances, paired with spoken word poetry from Langston Hughes, Tupac Shakur, and Maya Angelou, highlight the creativity and talent of young artists from across Northeast Ohio.

In addition to these performances, the event features the ArtWorks Marketplace, where youth entrepreneurs will showcase and sell their handmade creations. Attendees can also engage in our Open Mic, offering a platform for community involvement and artistic expression.

The CAL-iday Arts Fest embodies the Center for Arts-Inspired Learning’s mission to inspire creativity, teach entrepreneurship, and foster collaboration and civic engagement. Stay tuned for more exciting activities!

There are on-street parking meters available on East 6th between St. Clair and Superior (including designated handicapped spaces) and nearby paid parking garages.