Tonight, at Future!, director David Moss put together a fun and inspiring event/exposition of the work of NEO cool entrepreneurs: Derek Hess, of Strhess, 1300, his own world, SthressFest, etc., etc.; Factory 13 Experimental Skateboard Mfg., Ltd.; Cleveland’s Jakprints, Inc., which features designs by Institute alumni; GoMedia, a Cleveland-based design firm; Alternative Press, a monthly magazine published in Cleveland since 1985 covering “new music and youth culture"; and three tattoo designers, 252 Tattoo, and Voodoo Monkey Tattoo. Cool... yes. Inspiring... yes. Fun... yes. Quality... YES! Props to Moss, co-instigator Diann Mistelske of the CIA, and Future! With great presentation, sounds and company, this was another standout performance by CIA showcasing NEO arts and culture excellence at the global level. Complaint? Could have been 10X more entrepreneurs and work in 10X the space.

Future! is an exciting development for NEO and the CIA, where a place has been created to support artist-entrepreneurs focused on new media and design. I've been impressed by Director David Moss from day-one, and he has really shown a power to craft innovative movement from a concrete box and good relations. This show bridges many divides between what has been and what should be for the CIA and NEO. While Derek Hess was a student at CIA, and his father was a CIA luminary, I don't recall any way Derek has been shown there, other than his rock posters for the Euclid Tavern pasted on area power-poles. About time - so much other underground talent should be connected with CIA, even if not hard-wired, and this is a step in that direction. David even arranged to collaborate with Meet the Bloggers to expand the audience of this even beyond the usual suspects.

To make CIA a part of the core culture here, for full-time students, grads, part-timers and just friends, our art school should be about more than their business to a focus on the entire community, and I absolutely see they recognize that. Some of the best arts events I've attended in the last few years in NEO have been at the CIA, attended by all sorts of folks, and CIA students and stakeholders seem to be showing up at other arts outings in great numbers. CIA is planting great seeds for the future of our economy.

Here is an exciting observation... CIA is nurturing innovation in NEO well beyond CIA, and drawing into CIA innovative thought from around the world. This is an important development I have noticed over the past few years that is essential to the ascension of Cleveland to the highest levels of global recognition and success in arts and culture. I have no doubt CIA is the most unique economic asset in NEO, and Future! is an essential connector of this with the local and global economy. So glad to see them fulfilling their potential with "The Subculture Entrepreneur".