ARTS

BLACK ART HISTORY TOURS: Celebrate Black History Month with guided tours highlighting Black artists at the Cleveland Museum of Art (11150 East Boulevard). The museum celebrates Black History Month in February and all year round. The tours will be every Sunday in February, from 3 pm to 4 pm. The tours are free, but tickets are required. Reserve your ticket now at clevelandart.org/events/black-art-history-tour.

COMIC CLUB: Join artist Kobe Saunders and your fellow community members as we explore the long history of sequential art through various genres and cultures, including newspaper comic strips, American superhero comics and graphic novels, Japanese manga, and media adaptations of these stories. Practice techniques to improve drawing and storytelling skills with a focus in character design, visual language, and panel structure. On the first Saturday of each month, from 11 am to 1 pm at the Community Arts Center (2937 W. 25th St).

CREATIVEBUG: Calling all crafters! You can now stream thousands of hours of arts and crafts classes FREE on creativebug.com with your Cleveland Public Library card. Sewing, knitting, crocheting, drawing, decorating and more. Visit creativebug.com/lib/cpl-oh to get started.

FAMILY ART WORKSHOPS: Start the new year by slowing down, getting creative, and exploring art together as a family. Julia de Burgos is partnering with Art Therapy Studios to bring you hands-on workshops designed to spark motivation, curiosity, and self-expression—open to all ages and all families. Join us the third Friday of every month from 6 pm to 7:30 pm at the Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center (2800 Archwood Ave). Upcoming workshops: February 20, March 20, April 17, and May 15. Learn more and register online at juliadeburgos.org/calendar. Questions? Call us at (216) 894-5664 or email info@juliadeburgos.org.

FREE PIANO CONCERTS: Piano Cleveland has announced its musical lineup for their ongoing series, Piano Cleveland Live. The series consists of seven free public performances—four evening performances at popular Cleveland gathering places and three lunchtime concerts at the Cleveland Museum of Art. This month’s concert will be Tuesday, February 24 at 12 pm at the Cleveland Museum of Art and will feature Cleveland International Piano Competition Semi-Finalist Jonathan Mamora.  For a full list of the concerts in the series, visit pianocleveland.org.

FREE POTTERY WORKSHOPS: Roll up your sleeves and get creative at “Gifts for the Family”, an upcoming hand-building pottery workshop at the Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center (2800 Archwood Ave). Work the clay by hand, discover the age-old art of ceramics, and shape unique bowls and dishes over a two-week session, on Saturday, February 7 and Saturday, February 14 from 11 am to 2 pm. By the end, you’ll have handmade gifts for loved ones—or keepsakes to treasure for yourself. The workshops are free and family friendly and open to anyone 8 years old and up. Space is limited. Register now at juliadeburgos.org/calendar.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY OPEN STUDIO: Arthouse Inc. (3119 Denison Ave.) offers a free, family-friendly art workshop on the third Saturday of each month from 1 pm to 3 pm. This month’s Family Open Studio, entitled “Black History Month Collaborative Art,” will be Saturday, February 21. Children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult. Visit arthouseinc.org to sign up or call 216-398-8556 for more information.

LATIN DANCE CLASSES: Registration is now open for the Spring sessions of Flamenco Classes and Latin Social Dance classes at the Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center (2800 Archwood Ave). The flamenco classes will meet on Tuesdays, starting February 3, and the Latin Social Dance classes will meet on Thursdays starting February 5. Both feature separate sessions for kids (ages 5-11) and teens (12-18) and offer performance opportunities so the students can show off what they’ve learned. To learn more or to sign your child up, visit juliadeburgos.org/calendar.

STREET STUDIO: This month’s Street Studio will be Saturday, February 14  from 1 pm to 3 pm at St. Paul’s Community Church, 4427 Franklin Ave. All are welcome to share music, poetry, spoken word or to listen in support. Piano, drums, guitar, and microphones provided – as well as coffee and snacks. For more information, contact Ian Heisey at heisey2140@sbcglobal.net or Trennell Garrison at sapphire1497@yahoo.com.

COMMUNITY

BIKE CLEVELAND ADVOCACY TRAININGS:  Level up your advocacy skills and learn how to make Cleveland’s streets safer, more accessible, and more sustainable. Join Bike Cleveland for these upcoming virtual trainings: “Parking Reform” (with the Parking Reform Network) on February 9, “Understanding Cleveland’s Budget” on March 30, “2025 Crash Report” on April 21, and “Using 311 for Advocacy’ on May 13. All trainings start at 7 pm and are available through Zoom. These sessions are a great way to get informed, get involved, and help shape a more bike-friendly Cleveland. Register now at bit.ly/advocacytraining2026.

BLACK HISTORY AT THE LIBRARY:  Celebrate Black History Month at the Cleveland Public Library. Throughout the month of February, the library system will host a series of educational and family fun programs and activities about the Black experience at its various locations. For a full list of events and programming, visit cpl.org/bhm.

LGBT TEEN SUPPORT GROUP: The Power of Us, a group for teens to come together and build community with the help of licensed counselors, meets Tuesdays at 4 pm at the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland (6705 Detroit Ave). Register now at tinyurl.com/ThePowerofUsCLE.

THE MAY DUGAN FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITY CENTER provides career and financial coaching for people looking to build effective money habits. Financial coaches work with individuals to assess public benefits, plan and achieve career goals, and plan for financial goals. If you are ready to take a deep dive into your finances, call us at 216-631-5800 or email us at ghoch@maydugancenter.org.   

REPORT SCAMS: Call the Cuyahoga County Scam Squad at 216-443-SCAM (7226). Hang up if a caller threatens you with arrest or property seizure, claims to be a grandchild or loved one in trouble with the law; asks you to wire money, mail cash or pay with gift cards; if a repair person calls out of the blue and wants to “fix” your computer.

COMMUNITY GUIDE

PLAIN PRESS will publish the annual Community Guide in the March issue. In the Community Guide, the Plain Press offers nonprofit organizations and government agencies serving residents in the Plain Press target neighborhoods a free listing of their name and phone number. New organizations that have not been listed in the Community Guide in the past should email their contact information to: plainpress@gmail.com. Organizations that have changed their name or phone number should also send that information to the Plain Press. The Plain Press offers ads in the guide for organizations that wish to place additional information in the guide beyond their name and phone number. To advertise in the guide, contact Ed Tishel at plainpressads@yahoo.com.

EDUCATION

ESPERANZA SCHOLARSHIPS: Esperanza, Inc. proudly awards scholarships to Hispanic and Latino students in Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties who are pursuing higher education, whether they are starting or continuing their college journey. The deadline to apply is March 15. Learn more at esperanzainc.org/esperanza-scholarship-overview.

FREE BOOKS for kids ages 0-5: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio mails kids one free book each month until their 5^th birthday. Any child in Ohio between birth and age 5 is eligible for the program. To sign up, visit: OhioimaginationLibrary.org.

FREE ESOL CLASSES: Aspire Greater Cleveland offers FREE beginner, intermediate and advanced-level English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes. Students must attend an orientation session before beginning classes, and you must register to attend orientation. Classes are offered at a number of convenient times and locations around town. To enroll, call 833-277-4732.

HEALTH

“HELP! MY CHILD IS STUTTERING”: In this new, 16-minute film from the Stuttering Foundation, parents and speech-language experts talk about how to promote easier talking and interacting with children who stutter. The professionals offer simple tips that parents can follow easily. To view the film for free, visit stutteringhelp.org/content/help-my-child-stuttering. For more information, contact us at info@stutteringhelp.org. National Stuttering Awareness Week is the second week in May. International Stuttering Awareness Day is October 22.

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Drug problem? We can help. Call the free 24-hour Narcotics Anonymous hotline at 1-888-GET HOPE (1-888-438-4673) or visit https://wordpress.naohio.org to find an NA meeting near you. Remember: “Any addict can stop using drugs, lose the desire to use drugs, and find a new way to live.”

SOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES: Do you need someone to talk to? Social Support Specialists, social work-trained, trauma-informed care professionals, are available at every city recreation center to provide free and confidential support for young people, seniors, and families. Services we offer include referrals to medical care, counseling, and public assistance; help with applying for public benefits like Social Security, Medicaid/Medicare, food stamps, and housing assistance; and mental health support for young people dealing with bullying, toxic stress, trauma, or other challenges. Call 216-664-2223 or visit your local rec. center to get started.

HOMELESS

IF YOU NEED SHELTER, contact  Cuyahoga County’s Coordinated Intake office at 216-674-6700. Hours of operation: 8 am – 6 pm, Monday – Friday. After hours and weekends, please call 2-1-1. If it is after hours, women in need of assistance may also go directly to Norma Herr Women’s Center, 2227 Payne Ave., and staff will assist you in contacting Coordinated Intake the following day.

LAUNDRY LOVE, a program offered by Malachi Center, gives the unhoused and low/no-income families an opportunity to clean their clothes at no charge. Participation is based on need. By appointment only. Call (216)771-3036 x7 to make an appointment or sign up in person at Malachi Center (2416 Superior Viaduct). Hours: Monday – Friday: 9:30 am to noon. Detergent and dryer sheets will be provided. Each person is limited to 2 loads. No blankets or comforters allowed. No transferring / No sharing of client appointments. Each client must leave with the clothes they bring. Each client must handle their own loads / clothes.

TAXES

AARP TAX PREPARATION ASSISTANCE: Volunteers from AARP will be on hand at various locations in the Cleveland area to help seniors and most other individuals file federal and state tax forms for free. Visit aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide to find a list of locations and to review the list of documents you will need to bring to your appointment in order to complete your tax return.

ESPERANZA, INC. TAX PREPARATION ASSISTANCE:  If you earned $69,000 or less in 2025, you qualify for free tax filing services through the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) Coalition. Appointments at Esperanza, Inc. (3104 W 25th St., 4th Floor)  and other local EITC partner organizations are available now at RefundOhio.org!

UTILITY ASSISTANCE

HEAP WINTER CRISIS PROGRAM: Is your power disconnected or about to be shut off? The Home Energy Assistance Program’s Winter Crisis Program, now administered by Step Forward, may be able to help! This program provides a one-time benefit per heating season to help eligible Cuyahoga County households restore or maintain heat and electric service during the winter months. Households at or below 175% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (about $52,500 for a family of four) may qualify if their service has been disconnected, they have received a disconnection notice, or they have 25% or less bulk fuel remaining in their tank. Assistance is available on a first-come, first-served basis and is designed to help households stay safe and warm throughout the winter season. Call our 24/7 hotline at 216-480-HEAP (4327) to schedule an appointment, or visit stepforwardtoday.org/winter-crisis-program to learn more. The program runs from November 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026.

VOLUNTEERING

CASA VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. CASA volunteers are everyday citizens, from all walks of life, who are trained and appointed to advocate for the best interests of children who are victims of abuse or neglect. CASA volunteers frequently become the most consistent adult presence in the child’s life, due to the demanding caseloads of the other court-appointed professionals. Volunteers must be at least 21 years old, complete the screening process, and complete pre-service training. To apply to serve, visit www.cfadvocates.org or email us at info@cfadvocates.org.

CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL is seeking volunteers to help put on the 50th edition of the festival, which will run from Thursday, April 9 to Saturday, April 18, primarily at Playhouse Square (1501 Euclid Ave.). A wide variety of opportunities and shift times are available, and volunteers typically receive two free vouchers (which can be exchanged to see any film at the festival) for each shift they work. For more information and to sign up, visit clevelandfilm.org/support/volunteer.

DOCENTS WANTED: The Cleveland Museum of Art is recruiting for the docent class of 2027! Docents are trained volunteers who engage visitors of all ages in conversations about art—both in the galleries and out in the community. Being a docent is a rewarding and meaningful commitment that combines a love of learning, teaching, and storytelling. The application deadline is April 26. Visit clevelandart.org/volunteer to apply.