Having garnered widespread acclaim for his soul-stirring projects, Columbus author, poet and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib has long made his mark as a literary influencer.
With titles such as "The Crown Ain't Worth Much" (2016) to this year's "A Little Devil in America," Abdurraqib's work has shined a light on his unique artistic impulses and vivid descriptions of Black culture.
Read MoreDetermined to build community through the arts, the multidisciplinary arts organization Wild Goose Creative opened a new center in Franklinton on Friday.
The newly renovated facility comes nearly two years after the nonprofit launched a Kickstarter campaign to extend its services locally. After raising more than $25,000 within 40 days, the organization landed the privately-owned space.
Read MoreDecked in Marvel memorabilia, with a warm bucket of buttered popcorn in hand, local moviegoers are coming back to Columbus theaters for the cinematic experience.
With films such as "F9: The Fast Saga," "A Quiet Place Part II" and "Black Widow" making their theatrical push this summer, Delaware resident Brandon Jordan, 26, and Erica Lemble, 28, of north Columbus, said they've yearned for a return to the theater.
Read MoreDriven to "bake the world a better place," Columbus' Brownie Points is garnering national attention with the release of the bakery's newest offering — BrowniEmojis.
On Monday, the bakery's colorful cut-out bites were featured on NBC's "Today" show's list of mail-order musts for the summer. Along with charcuterie board kits, ice cream, coconut candy and other items, the hosts gushed over the miniature, chocolate-fudged treats.
Read MoreFrustrated by a lack of sponsorship dollars and branding opportunities, Black Tik Tok creators are "striking" to gain recognition for dance trends often hijacked by white creators, a move that's sparked conversations around online appropriation.
Following the release of Megan Thee Stallion's new song "Thot S---," a creator named Erick Louis (@theericklouis) posted a video saying that he made a dance to "Thot S---" But toward the end of the video, the text reads, "Sike. This app would be nothing without (Black) people."
Louis' message encouraged other Black creators to refrain from posting choreographed videos and to fight for further recognition, which has left little inspiration on the video-sharing app.
But even with the original boycott video, white Tik Tok creators attempted to copy Louis, appearing to believe it was actually a new dance trend.
The most widely shared videos, which were choreographed by white creators, have been criticized by other TikTok users, who claim they lack energy and creativity.
Near East Side artist Katerina Fuller, who serves as program manager for Transit Arts, said she's encouraged by the online movement, as young people are confronting an issue that's plagued generations of Black and Brown influencers.
"I absolutely love it. I think historically, Black creators' work has been stolen and repackaged for a white audience without getting their due diligence," Fuller, 28, said. "I love that the young people make sure you recognize them and are fighting to show them we are the culture."
While she doesn't think the boycott will stop white creators from co-opting Black trends long-term, Johnae Spain, 23, an AmeriCorps VISTA for Transit Arts, said she's also encouraged by the added awareness.
"It's a step in the right direction," the downtown resident said. "I don't think it will stop White creators, but at least people know and people can't deny the fact that Black culture influences the world."
Despite the strike's emergence, the online appropriation conversation has taken place years before the start of the boycott.
Since 2019, the video-sharing platform, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has continued to gain popularity. But the app's biggest stars have been accused of appropriating Black culture for the purposes of monetization.
Back in March, TikTok star Addison Rae Easterling appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" and performed multiple TikTok dances, most of which were created by Black dancers, without crediting them.
Fallon attempted to set things straight by inviting the original creators on the show via Zoom. But for many, the damage was already done.
Users also questioned TikTok's algorithm in the moments following the killing of George Floyd, as videos using the hashtags #BlackLivesMatter and #GeorgeFloyd appeared to receive 0 views.
In a written statement last June, TikTok US General Manager Vanessa Pappas and Director of Creator Community Kudzi Chikumbu cited the issue as a "technical glitch" that altered the display of the videos.
Nearly a year later, NBC News reported that little had changed since the statement's release. Black creators' content was still appearing below that of white creators, and some users complained that videos they posted addressing racism were flagged as hate speech.
Since the start of the boycott, even non-TikTok users have shown their support in the fight for creative equity. But with the strike inevitably coming to an end, Spain said it's up to other groups to step in and show solidarity.
"We can do all the work we want to do, but if they're not giving us the opportunity or paychecks, what can we do?," she said.
Without this support, Spain said she and others will be pushed even further to create their own platforms, ones that will recognize the impact Black creators have on pop culture and magnify it.
"If these apps or companies don't get it together, we'll start doing it ourselves," Spain said. "That's how we empower our people. We make our own standards and we go by those."
Along with added acknowledgment and financial compensation, Fuller said Black creators have to readopt the "mixtape era" mentality.
With each of their creations, Fuller said there needs to be a verbal or visible stamp so people are aware of the source. And while placing a dance creator's name in the caption of a post has been on the rise, there need to be further strides, she said.
On the same note, Transit Arts Program Associate Andre Barrept Jr, 26, said Black creators need to empower themselves through knowledge and research. In looking through history, the Whitehall resident said a lot of opportunities have been missed due to a lack of information on monetization.
"If you come to the table with enough knowledge and backing, they really can't do much," he said. "That's what we need to do in other avenues of culture, to keep improving knowledge and savviness so when businesses comes to the table, we're ready.
"If we continue increasing our knowledge as a community, we'll have the power ..."They can't ignore us."
Having made its mark as a beacon for the city's art scene, the Columbus College of Art & Design is celebrating 20 years since the installation of its 100-foot Art Sign.
The 10-story steel sculpture, installed on June 23, 2001, has become an iconic piece of Columbus' cityscape and a prime landmark for skyline selfies.
But above all things, CCAD President Melanie Corn said the 31-ton, 101-foot wide sculpture on Cleveland Avenue speaks to the city's support of the arts.
Read MoreThe National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio, now says two tornadoes touched down in Ohio on Friday, the first two of 2021.
Read MoreAfter quenching concert-goers' thirst for "live" music throughout the pandemic, the Westland Mall Drive-In concert series will end with the Big Gigantic's outdoor performance Friday.
With plans to revive the series this summer after a string of successful showings last fall, promotional organization Prime Social Group has scrapped all future plans for upcoming performances.
Read MoreAfter a year of educational disruptions and social disconnection, the Columbus Museum of Art is offering a free admission program this summer for local youth, Columbus City Schools students and their caregivers.
To "renew their experience of wonder," the museum's WonderPass program applies research-based engagement strategies to nurture K-12 students’ own sense of joy, meaning and possibility, according to a press release. These strategies will be exercised through several experiences aimed at fostering discovery and innovative thinking.
Read MoreSchools are out, summer is almost here and it's time to let your hair down a little and have some fun.
And one doesn't need to travel far to find plenty of fun things to do this season.
Read MoreAs venue and event spaces have begun to open their doors, a sense of hope has permeated through the city's entertainment circles.
As the summer festival and event season is fast approaching, we thought a roundup on the status of what is happening, what's going virtual or has been modified, and what is cancelled was in order.
Read MoreAfter 446 days, 642,240 hours and 38,546,400 seconds of closure, the Center of Science and Industry opened its doors Thursday morning to droves of explorers who have long-awaited the return of the facility's offerings. The calculations come courtesy of CEO and President Frederic Bertley, who, like the guests returning to the center, was just as excited for the reopening.
Westerville resident Liz Smith, who brought her two sons to COSI three days before it closed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, said they have begged her to go back to the center every day for the past 15 months.
Read MoreColumbus native Michaela James' vibrant smile and vivacious energy helped her earn the title of Miss Black Ohio during the 39th annual pageant last Saturday, according to Fanchon Page, the pageant director.
In front of nearly 60 attendees at the Lincoln Theatre, James, 21, was chosen from four contestants who competed for this year's title, an honor she said nearly brought her to tears once she heard her name called.
Read MoreFor the second consecutive year, the Center for Science and Industry has been named the top science museum in the country by the 2021 USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Travel Award Contest.
From public voters and a panel of experts, a list that included editors from USA TODAY, 10Best.com and other relevant contributors, COSI was selected among 19 other science museums across the nation.
Read MoreAs members of the Asian American community face an onrush of violent hate crimes, attacks that have increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jona Hilario and others said sharing their experiences is essential in the fight against racism.
While there's been growing awareness nationally, there's still a line of separation between Asian Americans and other residents on a local level, Hilario, a Hilliard resident, said. In helping educate central Ohioans on the matter, Hilario said events such as the Asian Festival can help bridge the gap.
Read MoreRather than fit the mold of a traditional Columbus hip-hop artist, Boog, a self-described pop star, was driven to shape a new sound within the city's musical silos.
Read More