Release Date: January 7,2025
Downtown Akron Partnership to Continue Public Space Programming With Renewed Knight Foundation Grant
January 7, 2025, Akron, Ohio — Downtown Akron Partnership (DAP) is honored to announce that it was awarded a $1.25 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation on December 15, 2024, to be used over three years for the continuation of excellent programming in public space.
DAP President and CEO Kimberly Beckett says, “This grant will allow DAP to continue to build upon our successes in creating inclusive public space programming, attracting new audiences to downtown and spurring economic activity. Creating a welcoming, exciting environment downtown through creative placemaking and programming continues to support the Strong Downtown, Strong Region strategy of Elevate Greater Akron. A dynamic downtown attracts businesses, visitors and residents, fostering a district that supports economic growth across the city and county.”
DAP’s programming of downtown’s public spaces has grown since 2020 to include seven annual signature events, attracting thousands of visitors—the Downtown Akron Lunar New Year Celebration, Sakura Festival, South Asian Celebration, Juneteenth Celebration, Latin Festival, Fall Fest and Smells Like Snow Coffee Festival—and summer wellness programming on Cascade Plaza, as well as small concerts and roller skate nights. In 2024, DAP programming and events drew nearly 25,000 visitors downtown. In presenting programming downtown, last year alone DAP worked with more than 20 partner organizations, over 50 planning committee members from the community, and dozens of downtown and locally owned businesses. DAP will use Knight Foundation funds to innovate and fortify these programs, and will also support Akron Bicentennial initiatives, as well as activations in the newly opened Lock 3.
Since 2017, DAP has used funds from Knight Foundation grants to make strategic investments in public spaces across downtown Akron to drive private investment, develop a more walkable neighborhood, improve perceptions of safety, attract talent, maintain a high quality of life and build a sense of place.
These continue to be priorities for DAP, as do increasing visitor and foot traffic numbers to downtown events, reducing the neighborhood’s commercial vacancy rate and growing downtown’s residential population to 5,000 by 2029.
“This investment allows DAP to continue to add value and vibrancy to our neighborhood by activating public spaces with support of clean and welcoming services, beautification, and other economic development efforts. We are able to learn and adapt new ideas, so our future enhancements will be bolder, smarter, more sustainable and more inclusive to all downtown visitors,” Beckett says.
In addition to year-round events, DAP’s investments have included the creation of the Northside Green, the North High St. Parklet, a placemaking mural with Art Bomb Brigade, a large ground mural—The Roots of Rubber—by Spanish art collective Boa Mistura at the National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School, enhancements to Cascade Plaza and more.
“Knight Foundation’s trust in DAP has helped us make measurable change downtown, seeing real growth and support of downtown stakeholders, residents and visitors. We look forward to continuing that growth and progress” says Beckett.
Find out more about Downtown Akron Partnership. Follow us at www.downtownakron.com, and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.