Powered by Max Banner Ads What makes the Short North an “Arts District?” by William Ashley Shakespeare once wrote, “The object of art is to give life a shape.” Arguably, this was never more true than in the case of Columbus’ premier arts district, the beloved Short North. History tells the tale of this decrepit, derelict area named not-so-fondly by Columbus police because... 

Art Saving Lives by Elliott Fishman Art for Life organizer Joel Diaz is out to make this year’s September 25th event “a true celebration of our lives.” He’d like to save a few of those lives, too. Diaz, 29, is a driving force behind the all-volunteer-led art auction and fundraiser, benefitting the Columbus AIDS Task Force (CATF). As CATF board president-elect, Diaz thinks the September 25... 

FALL (AND BEYOND!) ARTS PREVIEW by Mackenzie Worrall Recently, someone politely informed me that Columbus is the indie art capital of the world. Maybe, like most indie things, he liked Columbus before we were cool. I won’t pretend that we have a nurturing audience that supports the arts, but what we do have is a population of burgeoning artists who bring interesting things to our (sometimes lackluster)... 

The Wonder of It All by Phillecia Cochran In this uncertain economic climate, Columbus seems to be doing what it can to strengthen our local economy. And the focus on our local economy isn’t just behind government doors – residents are doing the same. Whether that means shopping at local businesses or eating at local restaurants, a lot of us are trying. And with that, a lot of attention... 

Oh, But To Be A Bearer Of The Light by Paul D. Saltz My entire extended family knows that I’m gay. While many will see this as a blessing, I must confess that if that is so, it is mixed at best. My parents, siblings, and cousins have all been incredibly supportive. Even my uncle, who at times can be fairly heterosexist and chauvinistic, immediately stopped making jokes about AIDS once he found out.... 

Affirming or Not Affirming: Is it Just a Racket? by William Ashley I have never been a deeply religious person. Growing up in a split household with a Christmas-Catholic mom and a Baptist-through-marriage dad turned me into your typical agnostic. That being said, I never had to bother with finding a church that welcomed my sexual orientation. Yet, religious thoughts go through my head each and every... 

Lynne Bowman The Evolution of Activism by William Ashley Another year has come and gone for LGBT politics in Ohio. While, nationally, we witnessed the fight for marriage rights in several states and the District of Columbia, the State of Ohio was engrossed in a battle for arguably even more basic rights: to own property and work in all of Ohio’s 88 counties free from discrimination. In May... 

The Next Generation of Columbus Theater by Chris Hayes Cbus (yes somehow I’ve grown to love the term) is exploding with the arts. It’s not often you have a 2nd tier city with such a rich diversity of arts to enjoy. That is owed a lot of credit to the vast group of independent artists pushing for something new – for creation to reign. One such group of doers is Evolution Theater Company.... 

The ‘Big M’ is ‘Empathy’ Dick Cheney isn’t the only American to rethink gay marriage because of a personal connection to the issue. by Chris Crain It was a bit of a head-turner this week when Dick Cheney, the former vice president and conservative attack dog, took time out from his blistering critique of Barack Obama to disagree with the president from the left on the issue of same-sex marriage. “I... 

Navigating Through the Grit: Conversational GPS for Mixed HIV Status Couples* by Regina Sewell Relationships need grit. Sure, it may be the woo hoo, dancing on air and burst your heart open with joy sorts of fabulous feelings that get relationships off the ground, but it’s the grit, the inevitable crunchy times, the fear of rejection and vulnerability and the desire to hide behind anger or numbness...