Friday September 24, 2010
Tags for: Plain Dealer's Steven Litt and University Circle's Chris Ronayne to Discuss Progress of University Circle Development, Oct. 20
  • Press Release

Plain Dealer's Steven Litt and University Circle's Chris Ronayne to Discuss Progress of University Circle Development, Oct. 20

exterior of the CMA building

On Wednesday, Oct. 20, Steven Litt, the Plain Dealer's art and architecture critic, and Chris Ronayne, president of University Circle Inc., will provide an update on recent progress in the development of Cleveland's University Circle neighborhood.

CLEVELAND (Sept. 24, 2010) – On Wednesday, Oct. 20, Steven Litt, the Plain Dealer's art and architecture critic, and Chris Ronayne, president of University Circle Inc., will provide an update on recent progress in the development of Cleveland's University Circle neighborhood. The free event, which will take place at the Cleveland Museum of Art, is open to the public, with coffee at 10 a.m. and the program from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the museum's recital hall. A question and answer session follows.

University Circle has emerged as a leader in the redevelopment of the Greater Cleveland area. Home to thousands of families and a temporary home for more than 10,000 university and college students, University Circle functions as a main hub of Cleveland's arts, economics and education sectors. In May 2007, Chris Ronayne kicked off the first Circle Neighbors program speaking about University Circle's master plan. This time last year, a forum convened at the museum to discuss planning for the future of University Circle. The upcoming discussion with Litt and Ronayne will address the progress of those development efforts.

The event is a presentation of Circle Neighbors, coordinated by The Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art in collaboration with the Cleveland Botanical Garden, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Women's Committee of The Cleveland Orchestra and the Western Reserve Historical Society.

Those interested in attending the discussion should visit the Womens Council website at http://www.wccma.net and click the RSVP button on the home page or call 216-707-2527.

Circle Neighbors
Circle Neighbors strives to provide an insider's view of the University Circle community. The mission of the group is to promote an enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, University Circle; provide a networking opportunity for the volunteers of the University Circle institutions; and identify and advance the strengths of the individual institutions through their collaborative efforts, which are key to the long-term success of the community. The series of speakers, panel discussions and workshops is hosted by the Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art in collaboration with the other participating institutions.

Steven Litt
Steven Litt has been the art and architecture critic for the Plain Dealer for the past 19 years and is a proactive voice in the Cleveland area promoting the advancement of the arts and the city. He is also a frequent contributor to publications including ARTnews, Metropolis and Architecture. Litt has been named best critic in Ohio three times since 2004 by the Cleveland Press Club and twice by the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists. Most recently, Litt was awarded the Robert P. Bergman Prize of the Cleveland Arts Prize in recognition of his devotion as a community leader dedicated to a democratic vision of the arts.

Chris Ronayne
The seventh president of University Circle Inc., Chris Ronayne has set an aggressive agenda for University Circle for the past five years. Ronayne has raised more than $30 million for community initiatives, including the Bring Back Euclid Avenue campaign, education programs serving more than 20,000 Cleveland students annually and University Circle's new visitor center and destination marketing programs. Ronayne earned his master's degree in urban planning, design and development from Cleveland State University, where he later received the Dean's Distinguished Alumni Award.

The Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 40,000 objects and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. Currently undergoing a multi-phase renovation and expansion project, it is a significant international forum for exhibitions, scholarship, performing arts and art education. Admission to the museum is free.

The Cleveland Museum of Art is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. Additional support comes from the Ohio Arts Council, which helps fund the museum with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. For more information about the museum, its holdings, programs and events, call 888-CMA-0033 or visit www.ClevelandArt.org.

Contact the Museum's Media Relations Team:
(216) 707-2261
marketingandcommunications@clevelandart.org