#tedxcolumbus

11/14/18

By Jenica Richards

The year may be winding down, but to my delight, the arts are turning up. This time of year generally brings about holiday-themed events (and trust me, there are many to choose from), but what fills me with glee is Columbus’ dedication to supporting arts of all shapes and sizes regardless of the season. Here’s what ColumbusMakesArt.com has to say about this weekend’s energy-filled arts offerings.

I used to be a singer myself, but I’m sure I couldn’t hold a candle to Opera Columbus presenting their high-voltage Voice of Freedom. Their second free performance will fill the Main Library this Thursday with a wall of sound, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renassiance. If you’re able to witness this powerful piece, don’t forget to walk down the hall and behold How Beautiful Am I one last time; the similarly Harlem Renaissance-themed exhibition, curated by April Sunami, closes on Friday. To continue the commemoration of the Harlem Renaissance, CAPA will host the electrifying Dance Theatre of Harlem on its Palace Theatre stage this Friday.

Just around the corner from the Palace, TEDxColumbus 2018: On the Edge speakers like Scott Woods will stimulate thinking caps at the Davidson Theatre in the Riffe Center, Friday as well. Scott’s lecture will explore the effect of social issues on poetry, so ready your mind for awakening. At the Wexner Center for the Arts, Lars Jan’s Early Morning Opera, a theatrical adaptation of Joan Didion’s essay The White Album, will satisfy your thirst for rebellion. Join actress Mia Barron Friday and Saturday as she performs the provocative essay while accompanied by a well-choreographed house party onstage.

Of course, this weekend would be incomplete without a little spark of holiday cheer. Hammond Harkins’ annual wintertime tradition Small & Wonderful, opening Friday, will feature artists like Dennison Griffith and Laura Alexander. Step up your gift game with wares from Gifts of the Craftsmen, now open at the Ohio Craft Museum. This Thursday, Shadowbox Live will kick off their spicy seasonal favorite Holiday Hoopla, and it’s sure to add a pep to your step. Finally, children and adults alike can marvel at Think Outside the Brick, Columbus Museum of Art’s annual LEGO exhibition. Is that a twinkle in your eye I see?

With these arts tips in hand, you can live your best life this weekend. Add some zest to your holiday, and remember to tag #artmakescbus!

Gallery artist Nick George will speak at tedX Columbus on November 7, 2014. 

In conjunction with his talk, the gallery is hosting a one week exhibition of images from his Sure Shot with CoolScan Series. 

Hey Doc, some boys are born girls: Decker Moss at TEDxColumbus

I'm going to venture beyond our usual comfort zone and lay this fact out there: as young as many of the readers of this site are - we're all aging.  Barring any seriously unfortunate circumstances - the overwhelming majority of us will become "old".

Yesterday, the Dispatch REPORTED on the impending "Silver Tsunami" and how many communities are unprepared to handle the increasing numbers of citizens aged 60+.  I really want to highlight an intriguing segment of this article:

Boomers, however, drive up demand for plenty of other services and amenities. They want affordable and accessible housing; transportation; recreation options; and, when the time comes, in-home care and services to help them avoid nursing homes.

Communities that address these issues now could reap benefits beyond the boomer bubble. Recent college graduates, who are leaving Ohio at a rapid clip, have tastes similar to seniors’ when looking for a place to live — walkable communities with easy access to shopping, entertainment and transit.

Creative planners like to envision neighborhoods that appeal to those who are young and, increasingly, old.

Echoing this demand for more active, accessible lives in their twilight years, the New York Times REPORTED on a community in Southbury, Connecticut where citizens are generally doing well - but face mounting challenges by this aging of the community.  Additionally, The Washington Post HIGHLIGHTED some of the costs associated with aging populations and showed that this issue spans the globe beyond the US.

So - what do the communities of the future hold when large portions of the population are aging?  From the 2011 TEDx Columbus event, Architect (and Auxiliary faculty member of The Ohio State University Knowlton School of Architecture) Bart Overly presented one possible solution to "Living to 104" during his presentation to us in the audience.  Overly discusses the concepts of habitats and how interconnection is imperative for these communities of the future, and you can find the presentation HERE.