After seven months of renovating its nearly 100-year-old building owned by Summit County, Summit Artspace reopened to the public in March 2026 with Akron ArtWalk and its Winter Exhibitions. The recent renovations improved building accessibility and wayfinding while  updating gallery spaces with fresh paint, ceilings, and track lighting. As a vibrant hub for art and  local artists, Summit Artspace has not slowed down its commitment to supporting artists through  every step of the creative process.  

This milestone moment will be marked with a Grand Reopening Party activating the entire  building, welcoming in the local community and beyond. The Green Dragon Inn will be onsite  as food and drink vendor with specialty cocktails and menu items for sale. The building will  have extended public hours on Thursday, April 9 from 5 to 9:30 p.m. at Summit Artspace. 

“We are thrilled to be welcoming the community back into our refreshed building after several  months of being closed,” remarks Natalie Grieshammer Patrick, Executive Director. “In true  Summit Artspace fashion, the event will be focused on activities, performances, and installations  by local artists as they activate our historic building in unique ways. This celebration ushers in a new chapter for our organization and we look forward to marking this special occasion with local  artists and event attendees.” 

Guests will have the opportunity to experience the building like never before. Staircases become  sonic portals courtesy of Andrew Izold; guests can wander, listen and discover as they traverse  the historic wood-paneled staircase. The building transforms into a playful space, inviting guests  to take part in an adult scavenger hunt and explore. Visitors may encounter ephemeral art pieces throughout the three-floor building; fleeting moments of creative expression that are gone at the end of the night. Attendees can explore current exhibitions and participate in a variety of  programming including:  

• Local musician Uno Lady (Christa Ebert) will serenade guests with lush, layered vocal  compositions on the third floor.  

• Rent for Cheryl will perform live, bringing their five-piece band whose style blends  jazz, rock, folk, blues and pop to the third floor.  

• A site-specific performance piece by resident artist Maddie McSweeney in the second  floor Forum Gallery will involve the artist sewing themself into a pantyhose-clad  standing lamp. Once sewing is complete, she will remain stationary for the duration of  the event. Viewers may turn the lamp’s actual light on and off.  

• An installation by Andrew Izold, composed of improvised ambient electronic music accompanied by his abstract videos will be performed live in the historic wood paneled  stairwell between the 1st and 2nd floors.

• Resident artist Althea Jones will lead a hands-on art activity on the first floor helping participants rediscover their creative spirit through gentle art instruction and a simple  finger-painting activity.  

The celebration will close out with a dance party, DJ Brainwreck spinning the soundtrack of the  building’s renewal. 

Our Grand Reopening party is not only a celebration of completing a transformative renovation  but also represents the future of Summit Artspace as it advances in its ongoing commitments to  enhancing creative spaces and ecosystems for artists, visitors and the surrounding community.  

Admission prices are $50 for VIP Admission, $15 for General Admission, and $5 for the Dance  Party. Ticket sales go toward compensating the participating artists, performers, and bands  taking part in the event. Every guest contributes directly to sustaining our dynamic artist  community. 

Tickets for the Grand Reopening Party can be purchased online.To learn more, visit the Summit Artspace website and follow us on social media @summitartspace for updates.