NE Ohio celebrates the Arts in a special way during the month of October with the annual Octavofest, a series of events created for the public by various area cultural institutions.  In it's third year, the celebration expands its offerings and member organizations to bring you a wealth of resources.

Update: Winners of the Juried Art Competition Announced October 19th^th

• First Prize, $500: Japanese Secret, by Igor Vorotilkin
• Second Prize, $250: Creation, by Charlrey Willison
• Third Prize, $100: Don Quixote, by Igor Vorotilkin

Our thanks to the jurors:

Richard Fiorelli, Professor, Cleveland Institute of Art; Catherine Scallen, Chair, CWRU Art History; Tim Shuckerow, Director, CWRU Art Education & Art Studio; Nicole Ledinek, Curator of Education, MOCA.

Octavofest takes its name from "octavo," a traditional book format in which a large sheet of paper or parchment is folded three times to produce eight leaves. Antiquarian octavo format books include many rare, valuable and beautiful objects. 

The Kelvin Smith Library (KSL) at Case Western Reserve University invites the public to several learning experiences through lectures and demonstrations. This year, KSL adds new opportunities to enhance your appreciation of the arts, with a month-long art exhibit plus a juried art competition, and live performances of poetry and readings in the library's new Cramelot café. 

Join us @ Kelvin Smith Library for Octavofest 2011

Juried Art Competition 

Art inspired by items from the Special Collections at the Kelvin Smith Library. 

Come in and view selected rare items in the KSL Special Collections Department, and then interpret them through art. Selections for for this competition can be viewed 9 am-Noon and 1-4 pm on September 9 and 13, or by appointment. Some of the items are on continuous display in the department, M-F, 8 am-5 pm.  View an online gallery for some sample book art that inspires artists.

Items submitted to the competition will be on view in the main floor Art Gallery during October for everyone to enjoy, and three items will be chosen as the top prize-winning works. The Call for Artists document has all the information you'll need about the competition, including Exhibition Guidelines, important information about exhibition timelines, submission guidelines, restrictions, plus the required entry form to  submit artwork in this first KSL juried art exhibition and contest. 

Poetry Readings and Open Mic Events 

Share your perspective of the arts through performance

Join in the celebration with your words, in three Poetry Readings and Open Mic sessions on October 11, 18, and 26 in the Cramelot café on the main floor of the library. Events are during the lunch hour (Noon -1 pm) and you're sure to have an appreciative audience.  Your Poetry or Open Mic performance even might be based on some of the works on display in Special Collections.

We're pleased to be a partner in Octavofest and look forward to hearing you perform on all or any of the dates listed. Get an entry form and sign up to share your artful words with us.  

Calendar of Demonstrations, Lectures, Events 

All events are in the Kelvin Smith Library at 11055 Euclid Ave., Cleveland 44106

Juried Art Competition & Poetry Readings | Open Mic performances require Entry Forms (see above)

• October  3-31    Regular Business Hours of the library
• Art Exhibit, Main floor gallery
• Tues. Oct. 11, Noon - 1 pm  
• Poetry Readings and Open Mic, main floor Cramelot café  
• Wed. Oct. 12,   1:00-3:30 pm 
• Public Book Binding Demonstration, Sharlane Gubkin, Head of Preservation, and Ellen Strong, Conservator, Preservation. Main floor, near Freedman Center
• Wed. Oct. 12,  3:30 pm
• "Newspapers to Novels: the evolution of comics," Brad Ricca, CWRU Lecturer, English Department. Lecture & reception,  2nd floor Dampeer Room 
• Tues. Oct. 18,  Noon-1 pm
• Poetry Readings and Open Mic, main floor, Cramelot café 
• Wed. Oct. 19, 3:30 pm
• "Artists' Books, Readers, and Reading," Cristine Rom, Gund Library Director, Cleveland Institute of Art. After the talk, winners of Juried Art Competition will be announced by Arnold Hirshon, Associate Provost and University Librarian of the Kelvin Smith Library. Reception, 2nd floor Dampeer Room  
• Wed. Oct. 19,  9 am - 6 pm
• "Books that inspired the artists for the Juried Art Competition,"  Exhibit in Special Collections,  2nd floor Special Collections Department  
• Tues. Oct 26, Noon-1pm
• Poetry Readings and Open Mic, main floor, Cramelot café

The public is invited to participate & attend events, and seating is  available on a first-come basis. Read more about Kelvin Smith Library's location & campus parking options for visitors.

Inquiries about the exhibit, lectures, demonstration, poetry readings & open mic are welcome at 216-368-2992. Inquiries about the Special Collections exhibit are welcome at 216-368-0189.

Octavofest is funded in part by a generous grant from the George Gund Foundation.