The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
SHORE CULTURAL CENTRE GROWS
New programs, classes add to staples
A once embattled activities center and school continues to secure its identity as an artistic cornerstone in Euclid.
But the Shore Cultural Centre’s growing influence reaches far beyond Northeast Ohio, last year attracting artistically diverse performers, including the Alash Ensemble from Tuva, located in Central Asia, and “The Voice” contestant Emily Keener.
As Shore’s “renaissance” in the region grows with new programs and classes, some of the center’s annual staples have become seasonal community traditions.
“We held many wonderful and well-received events this past year, including the Euclid Holiday Celebration and Lake Erie Folk Fest,” said Chris Cipriani, Shore’s director of programming and marketing.
“Our auditorium was home to much music and theater this past year, including a very popular Motown concert, The Singing Angels, our August Wilson Readers Theater Series, directed by Artistic Associate Terrence Spivey, the Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival, and Bea Parker and Body Rocks, both of who held dance recitals,” she said.
“Annie Get Your Gun,” Silhouette Productions’ annual fall musical, and Euclid Symphony Orchestra concerts were also held at the center.
Shore received funding toward another event, the Euclid Wind Festival, from the residents of Cuyahoga County
through a grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
Another grant from The Char and Chuck Fowler Family Foundation also helped support arts programming goals.
Shore has also benefitted from strong community support throughout the years, and 2017 proved no different, as hundreds of volunteers, many from local companies such as Progressive Insurance, donated time and talents to ensure events were successful.
Shore also served as one of the host sites for the Cleveland Foundation’s Common Ground conversation sessions that took place across Cuyahoga County.
Beyond events and festivals, Shore offers classes in the arts and fitness all year, said Cipriani.
“We have a very active ceramic studio in our building where people can learn or hone their existing skills. We have many tenants that offer a wide variety of classes and services as well, ranging from tutoring services to painting and craft parties.
“We collaborated with the Euclid Public Library on a teen series that Terrence conducted which focused on the works of (playwright) August Wilson,” Cipriani said.
The center’s executive director, Laura Kidder, worked on planning efforts for an energy-efficient lighting upgrade to not only benefit Shore, but also the city of Euclid.
“Our building, being over 100 years old and listed on
the National Register of Historic Places, serves us well but we are in need of capital repairs and work hard each year to tackle those items on our list,” she said. “Hundreds of volunteers from local companies help us with projects each year. We would like to invite new companies to become involved in Shore and give back to the community.”
Kidder’s hope may become a reality, as Peter Rubin, president of The Coral Company, a Clevelandbased real estate investment management firm, concurred that attracting small businesses to network at the center is a focus in 2018.
“Shore is now an artistic anchor in the community,” he said. “It’s not just classes and programs. It’s become really important to the sustainability of Euclid. Every year, we add more users and small businesses, inviting people to use the space we have available. That’s an emphasis. It provides an opportunity to interact with other business owners and use community space. We’re very flexible for full or part time.”
In 2018, Shore will continue its programming, grow its theater offerings and again host The Singing Angels in December, in addition to staging another Silhouette Productions fall musical.
“We are always working hard to continue to build strength in the community and surrounding areas,” Kidder said. “People travel from different counties and states to attend events at Shore. The impact the arts has on the Euclid community is always of much value to the city.”