What is the role of the artist in society? And how does the state of the arts and humanities reflect the state of the community? On Thursday, May 28, on Arts Education Day in Cleveland, Cleveland State University’s Center for Arts and Innovation will present a one-day, two-part event that examines these questions from several perspectives, including that of renowned actor Michael York and a panel of highly esteemed experts from different arts disciplines.

The two-part event is as follows:

1. The 2009 Creative Voices Summit, titled “How Does the State of the Arts and Humanities Reflect the State of the Community?” will take place from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Westfield Insurance Studio, located at The Idea Center, home of 90.3 WCPN ideastream ®. It will be moderated by National Public Radio’s Susan Stamberg, produced in partnership with 90.3 WCPN ideastream ®.
2. The popular Arts Education Day Luncheon will follow the Summit from 12-2 p.m. next door at the Allen Theatre at PlayhouseSquare and will feature actor, author and arts advocate Michael York as keynote speaker.

Admission to the Summit is complimentary. The Luncheon cost is $20. Reservations are required. To attend one or both events, visit www.csuohio.edu/cai or call 216.687.5018.

Attendees at the Creative Voices Summit are invited to join in an invigorating dialogue with four national and local leaders: Ruby Dee, award-winning actress; Sari Feldman, Executive Director, Cuyahoga County Public Library; Jess Rosen, President and CEO, League of American Orchestras; and Timothy Rub, Director, Cleveland Museum of Art.

Cleveland State President Michael Schwartz and Dr. Joanne Rand Schwartz are honorary chairs for the day and Frances Strickland, First Lady of the State of Ohio, is a special guest for the event.

At the Luncheon, York will speak on “The Role of the Artist in Society.” York is renowned for his impressive body of work over the past 45 years on screen, stage, television, and with audio recording. Joining the National Youth Theatre, he played Shakespeare in London and Europe, going on to perform extensively at Oxford University and graduating with an MA in English.

He joined Laurence Olivier’s new National Theatre Company in 1965 and a year later made his film debut in Franco Zeffirelli’s The Taming of the Shrew with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. He was also Tybalt in Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet and John the Baptist in Jesus of Nazareth.

York’s more than 60 other screen credits include memorable roles in such films as Bob Fosse’s Cabaret with Liza Minnelli, Something for Everyone with Angela Lansbury, Murder on the Orient Express, The Last Remake of Beau Geste, as d’Artagnan in The Three Musketeers, the title role in Logan’s Run, and opposite Burt Lancaster in The Island of Dr. Moreau.

His television work comprises over 80 credits. Recently in Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, he was also a guest character in The Simpsons and in the 100th episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent.

Broadway and regional theater credits include Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, Bent, The Crucible, Ring Round the Moon, the world premiere of Tennessee Williams’ Out Cry, and the title role in Cyrano de Bergerac. He recently toured the U.S. in Camelot, playing King Arthur.

York’s distinctive voice can be heard in more than 90 audio book and film narrations as varied as The Book of Psalms, The Vampire Lestat, and his own children’s book, The Magic Paw Paw. Currently the narrator of The Word of Promise audio Bible, York’s latest recordings are Cry, The Beloved Country and Alice in Wonderland.

York also enjoys writing. His latest book, Are My Blinkers Showing? (Da Capo Press, 2005), received great reviews, including “What a delight. Ahh, the actor’s life, well used,” from the Los Angeles Times. His book, Dispatches from Armageddon (Smith and Kraus, 2001), was reviewed by Prof. Richard Brown as “one of the most readable, literate, and insightful works ever written on the process of making movies.”

York also coauthored A Shakespearean Actor Prepares (Smith and Kraus, 2001). That book was a finalist in the Independent Publisher Book Awards in 2001.

York continues to lecture internationally on Shakespeare and the history and art of acting. His contribution to his profession has been recognized with the award of Britain’s OBE, France’s Arts et Lettres, and a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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The Creative Voices Summit and Arts Education Day Luncheon are presented by the Center for Arts and Innovation in partnership with 90.3 WCPN ideastream ® and the Arts Education Consortium (CAEC). CAEC includes The Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Play House, Young Audiences, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, PlayhouseSquare Center, Tri-C Jazzfest Cleveland, and the International House of Blues Foundation.

Established in 1999, the Consortium convenes arts organizations from across Cuyahoga County to address critical issues in arts education, presents community-wide events, and undertakes projects and research studies that leverage resources to promote the value of arts education throughout Northeast Ohio. It is in residence at Cleveland State University.

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