Release Date: October 21,2026
Celebrate Public Art and Artist Chakaia Booker as Akron Dedicates Its First Major Contemporary Outdoor Sculpture by a Woman Artist
The free ceremony begins Thursday, Oct. 29, at 1 p.m. Afterward, the public is invited to explore more art and spend the afternoon enjoying downtown Akron’s attractions and local businesses.
AKRON, Ohio, Oct. 21, 2026 — A major new work of public art will join the Rubber City's downtown landscape on Thursday, Oct. 29, when the city dedicates a monumental sculpture by internationally acclaimed artist Chakaia Booker at Lock 3. The City of Akron, Curated Storefront, and the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition invite the public to the 1 p.m. ceremony, where Booker will reveal the sculpture's title. The work is Akron's first major contemporary outdoor sculpture by a woman artist.
Built from stainless steel and recycled Goodyear Racing Eagle tires donated by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, the sculpture rises 17 feet near the Main Street entrance of Lock 3. Its twin petals frame the path through the Cynthia and Landon Knight Hemlock Walk and overlook the Ohio & Erie Canal. The work honors Akron's industrial heritage in the tire industry while reflecting the region's leadership in polymer innovation.
Naming and Dedication Ceremony
Thursday, October 29 | 1 p.m. Lock 3, 200 South Main Street, Akron. Free and open to the public. Guests are encouraged to arrive and be seated by 12:45 p.m.
Heather Meeker, Executive Director of Curated Storefront, will welcome guests promptly at 1 p.m., followed by a Land Acknowledgment, remarks from Akron Mayor Shammas Malik and Brooke Davis Anderson, Executive Director of VIA Art Fund. U.S. Congresswoman Emilia Sykes will introduce Booker, who will share the inspiration behind the sculpture’s design and announce its title before joining Mayor Malik and Curated Storefront for the formal dedication.
“It's hard to imagine a better place for this sculpture than Akron,” said Heather Meeker, Executive Director of Curated Storefront. “I think people will remember being here for its dedication.”
After the ceremony, guests are invited to stay at Lock 3 to see the sculpture up close and enjoy a commemorative ice cream flavor, Rubber Meets the Road, created for the occasion by Chill Artisan Ice Cream. If it rains, the ceremony will move to the nearby Maynard Performance Pavilion in Lock 3.
Hear from the Artist the Night Before
Artist Talk with Chakaia Booker, presented by the Akron Art Museum and Curated Storefront, Wednesday, October 28 | 6 p.m. Akron Art Museum, 1 South High Street, Akron. Free and open to the public. “There’s something special about hearing an artist share the stories, ideas, and creative process behind their work,” said Jon A. Fiume, John S. Knight Director & CEO of the Akron Art Museum. “We’re delighted to welcome Chakaia Booker back to the Museum and partner with Curated Storefront to offer this opportunity to our community.”
Register for both events and learn more about the artist at curatedstorefront.org/chakaia-booker.
Make an Afternoon of It
Join the dedication, enjoy Lock 3, and learn about public art in Akron. After the ceremony, explore the park along the Ohio & Erie Canal, then head into downtown, where storefronts along Main Street will feature new installations by regional and Akron-related artists. Local restaurants and coffee shops along the way make it fun to stop for lunch or a break.
Curated Storefront's guide to its Contemporary Arts District, with artist information and a map of the installations, is available at curatedstorefront.org/curated-storefront.
About Chakaia Booker
For more than four decades, Guggenheim Fellow Chakaia Booker has transformed discarded tires into powerful sculptural forms. Her work is held in more than 40 major collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the National Gallery of Art, and the Library of Congress. Booker has maintained a 25+ year connection to Northeast Ohio, with exhibitions at the Akron Art Museum (2000), the Cleveland Institute of Art (2015), and FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art (2022).
Project Support
The sculpture was commissioned by Curated Storefront and made possible by the generosity of its individual donors and VIA Art Fund, including partial support from Maja Kristin through the Women Moving Millions Art Catalyst Fund. The City of Akron and the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition provided funding and staff resources for the foundation and installation. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company donated the racing tires used to create the work. The artist was selected by the Lock 3 Art Task Force, and the concept was approved by the City of Akron Public Art Commission.
About Curated Storefront
Curated Storefront transforms vacant and underutilized street-level spaces into vibrant art displays, bringing contemporary art into public spaces and helping create an engaging, safe, and attractive downtown environment. Celebrating its 10th year, the organization has presented artwork in more than 40 spaces throughout Curated Storefront's Contemporary Arts District, commissioning and employing artists, supporting artist studios and educational outreach programs, and stimulating business activity and commercial development. For more information, visit curatedstorefront.org.