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Local Artists Invited to Apply to be Featured at March 2027 Event
Canalway is seeking artists to create large scale lanterns from recycled materials for the sixth annual Towpath Trail Lantern Parade on March 13, 2027.
The Towpath Trail Lantern Parade is a celebration of light, creativity, and sustainability welcoming spring to the banks of the Cuyahoga River. As 2027 marks 200 years since the first boat traveled on the Ohio & Erie Canal, artists are asked to take inspiration from the history of the canal, the people and ideas it moved, and its environmental, recreational and industrial impact on the state of Ohio.
“As we mark this 200th anniversary, we want people to learn how the Ohio & Erie Canal connected people, how it moved ideas that modernized our culture, and how the history still impacts us today. We hope artists can be inspired by these ideas and weave them into their lantern designs to help us share the history with the community in a fun, bright way,” said Meghan Paynter, Canalway’s director of communications.
At the Towpath Trail Lantern Parade, the commissioned artists will display the inspired pieces of illuminated art and carry them in the parade which follows a 1.4 mile route along the Scranton Flats portion of the Towpath Trail with other participating community members.
Interested artists are asked to submit a statement of interest, a proposed lantern design, and images of previous work by January 4, 2027. Artist selection will be made by January 12. Selected artists will receive a stipend of $1,000. View the complete Call for Artists at CanalwayPartners.com.
Hosted by Canalway, the Towpath Trail Lantern Parade is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
