Akron, OH — The Akron Art Museum (AAM) and Akron Children’s Museum (ACM) are proud to announce the launch of Art & Play, a collaborative community project generously funded by the Orr Foundation. This initiative aims to spark creativity and encourage imaginative play for children in Akron’s North Hill neighborhood, focusing on youth in grades PreK–5 and their families.
Through partnerships with local community organizations, the Art & Play project will distribute 500 Art & Play boxes filled with art supplies and games designed to inspire open-ended, hands-on engagement. Each box is curated to accommodate a variety of age groups, languages, and developmental needs, fostering creativity and problem-solving while promoting inclusivity.
- In addition to the art and play materials, each box includes:
Guest passes to both the Akron Art Museum and Akron Children’s Museum
Metro RTA bus passes for free round-trip transportation
Monster mascot puppets from ACM for imaginative play
Supplies from AAM for a sculpture-making activity, including air-dry clay, pipe cleaners, embellishments, and sketchbooks.
These guest passes grant families access to engaging museum experiences. At the Akron Art Museum, families can participate in Open Studio sessions, interactive, hands-on opportunities to create and learn through art. At the Akron Children’s Museum, kids can explore play spaces that encourage discovery and learning through fun, creative interactions.
Art & Play is made possible through collaboration with community partners, including Urban Vision, Proyecto RAICES, the North Hill Community Development Center, the North Hill branch of the Summit County Public Library, and individual outreach to immigrant families. These organizations will assist in distributing the boxes and providing insights to ensure the kits are accessible and meaningful for all families in the neighborhood.
“This initiative goes beyond just providing supplies—it’s about fostering a love of art, creativity, and play while creating shared spaces for families to connect and engage,” says Jon Fiume, the John S. Knight Director & CEO of the Akron Art Museum. “We’re thrilled to partner with Akron Children’s Museum and our local community to bring Art & Play to life.”
Art & Play reinforces the commitment of both museums to accessibility, creativity, and inclusivity for Akron’s youth and their families. By providing tools for artistic expression and meaningful connections, this project aims to strengthen community ties and inspire the next generation of creators and problem-solvers.
For questions and media requests, please contact Matt Hribar at mhribar@akronartmuseum.org.