We create conversations of consequence to help democracy thrive. Here's who is speaking next at the City Club. Be challenged. Learn something new. Join us.
Saturday, November 10, 2018, 1:00 p.m.
For Freedoms Town Hall: Freedom from Fear
Teens are speaking up and marching on! From rampant mass school shootings around the country to the daily occurrence of gun violence in Northeast Ohio, teens have relevant perspectives to share on this critical issue. Join them at this town hall...
Friday, September 28, 2018, 12:00 p.m.
Life and Literature of N. Scott Momaday
N. Scott Momaday, a writer, teacher, artist and storyteller, has devoted much of his life to safeguarding oral tradition and other aspects of Indian culture. He was born a Kiowa in Oklahoma and grew up in the Indian southwest. He...
Monday, August 13, 2018, 7:00 p.m.
How Can the Arts - and All of Culture - Serve our Community?
What is culture? Why does it matter? And how can it help us, here, today? Cellist Yo-Yo Ma has said that "Culture — the arts, the humanities, the sciences — helps us to understand our environment, each other, and...
Friday, August 03, 2018, 12:00 p.m.
Poetry for People Who Hate Poetry
Clevelander Dave Lucas became the Ohio Poet Laureate in January 2018. Lucas succeeds Dr. Amit Majmudar of Columbus, the state's first poet laureate after Governor Kasich created the position in 2014. As poet laureate, part of Lucas' mission is to advocate...
Wednesday, July 11, 2018, 12:00 p.m.
On the FRONT Lines: Art in an American City
Nationally and internationally, Northeast Ohio's reputation for the arts is on the rise. From powerhouses Playhouse Square, The Cleveland Museum of Art, and The Cleveland Orchestra to local institutions like Cleveland Public Theatre, Oberlin College, SPACES, and Karamu House, residents...
Wednesday, June 20, 2018, 12:00 p.m.
Storytelling at National Geographic in the Digital Age
National Geographic, the official magazine of the National Geographic Society, debuted in 1888 as a professional publication for scientists and geologists. Over the decades, the magazine evolved, moving from technical articles to narrative to storytelling - and including stunning photography...
Thursday, May 24, 2018, 7:00 p.m.
For Freedoms Town Hall: Freedom of Worship
Freedom of worship is the first right outlined in the American Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Yet, spiritual and religious freedom continues to be a complex and divisive...
Tuesday, May 08, 2018, 7:30 p.m.
Health and Wellness: In Praise of Vice, Happenstance, and Hope
From diet and exercise to meditation and positive thinking, it appears most Americans, at some time or other, seek a pathway to better or more improved health. And the first place they often turn to is not the doctor's office,...
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 1:20 p.m.
It's no secret that the U.S. government's track record with Native Americans has never been stellar. But you may be unaware of the horrors documented in DAWNLAND. For much of the 20th century, social workers stole Native children from their...
Friday, April 13, 2018, 5:30 p.m.
Montana has a long history of fighting to keep greed out of its politics. Back in 1912, they passed a law banning corporate money in elections in an effort to thwart the wealthy copper kings, whose mining interests controlled both...
Thursday, April 12, 2018, 6:40 p.m.
Since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, over five million people have been forced to flee their homeland. Of these refugees, just under 21,000 have been accepted into the United States–often after years of being waitlisted. Upon arrival, refugees...
Thursday, April 12, 2018, 12:00 p.m.
Silent No More: #MeToo and the Music Industry
Over the last several months, the #MeToo movement has shaken the entertainment industry. Actors and film executives resigned or were dismissed as allegations of sexual harassment and gender discrimination mounted, yet somehow, leaders in the music industry seemed unscathed. But not...
Wednesday, April 11, 2018, 4:15 p.m.
FilmForum: ACORN and the Firestorm
When the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN) was mentioned during the 2008 Presidential debates, it should have been a boon to the group who had spent decades fighting for impoverished communities. As with all social justice groups,...
Tuesday, April 10, 2018, 7:10 p.m.
How much weight does an IQ score actually hold? Considering all the different types of intelligence, can a simplistic number truly tell us what someone is capable of? Director Dan Habib, whose career has centered on films about the disabled,...
Monday, April 09, 2018, 6:10 p.m.
FilmForum: Freedom for the Wolf
What do freedom and democracy look like in the 21st century, and why are people fighting for it? Exploring these two pressing questions—and examining the moral and physical conflicts that arise as a result—is the aim of this smart documentary....
Sunday, April 08, 2018, 11:10 a.m.
Executive produced by news icon Dan Rather, FAIL STATE examines the rise of for-profit colleges in America and how politicians and shady businessmen tarnished our higher education system. It also looks at the mountain of student debt that makes it...
Saturday, April 07, 2018, 1:30 p.m.
Although New York and Washington, D.C. recently passed statewide paid family leave programs, they're outliers because the U.S. has no federal paid leave policy. In fact, in in 2016 only 14 percent of American private sector workers had access to...
Friday, April 06, 2018, 4:00 p.m.
If you are a fan of all of beer’s magnificent qualities – the tastes, the aromas, the way it trickles down your throat on a hot summer day – then BREWMASTER is your chance to meet some of the men...
Thursday, April 05, 2018, 4:15 p.m.
It seems we often only hear about suicide after the deed has been completed. But what about those who attempt it and survive? What becomes of them? These questions piqued the interest of director Lisa Klein, who explores the topic...
Monday, February 26, 2018, 12:00 p.m.
As part of the One Community Reads program, the City Club's book club lunch will feature Pulitzer Prize-winning Evicted: Poverty & Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond. This book discusses economic exploitation, inequality, and housing - all issues...
Friday, February 16, 2018, 12:00 p.m.
Throughout human history, artists are often the vanguard of social commentary, helping us see the narratives of our communities in new ways (think Gilgamesh, Frida Kahlo, Aeschylus or Toni Morrison). Whether on the stage, on the page, or elsewhere, artists...
Thursday, February 01, 2018, 7:30 p.m.
Love and Power: Your Next Great Read
As the days grow colder, nothing beats sitting by the fire with a great book. Discover your next favorite read through our discussion with some of Cleveland's best literary minds. The rise of the #MeToo movement and the coming of...
Saturday, December 02, 2017, 1:00 p.m.
For Freedoms Town Hall: Freedom from Want - Food Insecurity
Food is a foundation for humanity; yet, 19 percent of Cuyahoga County residents—over 240,000 people—are food insecure. Focusing on Freedom from Want, this program examines the structures that regulate and impose upon the supply and history of access to food...
Sunday, September 17, 2017, 2:00 p.m.
For Freedoms Town Hall Discussion: Freedom From Fear: MIGRATION
MOCA Cleveland is partnering with For Freedoms, an artist-run Super PAC founded by artists Hank Willis Thomas and Eric Gottesman, in a two-year residency focused on a series of free, quarterly Town Hall discussions. Co-produced with The City Club of...
Friday, September 08, 2017, 12:00 p.m.
Life and Literature of Isabel Allende
In 1981, Isabel Allende began her first book, The House of the Spirits, as a letter to her 100-year old grandfather who was dying in Chile. The book was immediately an international bestseller and launched her career as the most...
Tuesday, June 27, 2017, 5:00 p.m.
Dinner + Dialogue: Curating a Community Through Art
Home to such renowned institutions like The Cleveland Museum of Art, PlayhouseSquare, Karamu House, and The Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland is well regarded nationally and internationally for its arts and culture scene. In the last 15 years, the city has also...
Monday, May 22, 2017, 12:00 p.m.
City Club Book Club: Locking Up Our Own
At the City Club, we love books. And authors. And speeches by authors. We know you do, too. So, at the urging of our members, we decided to create a (pilot) City Club book club where we read and discuss...
Sunday, April 09, 2017, 12:50 p.m.
In 2014 an unarmed 18-year-old African-American named Michael Brown was shot and killed by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. This was the final straw for black residents, caught in a decades-long struggle with an oppressive police force known...
Saturday, April 08, 2017, 10:35 a.m.
“Si se puede” was the familiar battle cry of the National Farm Workers Association long before President Obama adopted the English version (“yes we can”) for his presidential campaign slogan. Little do most people know that powerful call-to-action came from...
Friday, April 07, 2017, 3:10 p.m.
FilmForum: Requiem for a Running Back
Director Rebecca Carpenter’s father Lew Carpenter had an illustrious ten-year career in the NFL playing for Cleveland and Detroit and winning three NFL Championships with Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers. When he died in 2010, his brain was studied by...
Thursday, April 06, 2017, 5:30 p.m.
Ron Book is an extremely powerful lobbyist from Florida. When he found out his daughter was molested by her nanny, he used his political capital to pass some of the harshest laws against abusers. They’ve actually rendered some former offenders...
Tuesday, April 04, 2017, 5:50 p.m.
Headlines can prevent us from seeing the actual lives affected by catastrophe. One such life is a beautiful eight-year-old named Evlin. When ISIS attacked her village of Kobane in Syria, she and her family fled across the border to Turkey....
Monday, April 03, 2017, 5:30 p.m.
War has been raging in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and women are caught in the crosshairs. Since the 1990s, militias have been fighting over the region’s rich, lucrative natural resources. Of their war tactics, rape runs rampant and is...
Sunday, April 02, 2017, 2:40 p.m.
The reputation surrounding GMO foods paints a picture of chemically enhanced produce, pumped with steroids and other poisons, being conned into our children’s mouths. But what if we have it all wrong? Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson narrates this documentary, which...
Friday, March 31, 2017, 3:00 p.m.
FilmForum: A Revolution in Four Seasons
With the ousting of President Ben Ali in 2011, Tunisia lit the spark for the revolutionary Arab Spring that followed. Living abroad as a student at the time, director Jessie Deeter was inspired to document the movement. When she met...
Tuesday, February 28, 2017, 6:30 p.m.
Who Decides Prizes? The Economy of Prestige in Books and Movies
Join us and some of Cleveland's best literary minds for a discussion on notable 2016 books, book award selection, and the economics of prestige in literature. The night will close with our traditional Q&A. No pre-reading or homework required.
Tuesday, November 29, 2016, 7:30 p.m.
Best Books for Your Holiday Gift List
Need some inspiration for holiday gifts? Then we have just the night for you! Join us and some of Cleveland's best literary minds for a discussion on notable 2016 books, and books that everyone in your life will enjoy. The...
Thursday, October 27, 2016, 4:30 p.m.
The City Club of Cleveland 2016 Annual Meeting
It's been an amazing year for our beloved Citadel of Free Speech! Here's what on tap for our Annual Meeting: --Race Anthology book launch: Remember when we asked you for your contributions to the ongoing conversation about race? The book is...
Friday, September 16, 2016, 12:00 p.m.
A Very Long and (Almost) Victorious Battle: The Struggle for Gay Civil Rights
On June 26, 2015, in a 5-4 decision, the Obergefell vs. Hodges Supreme Court case granted the fundamental right to marry to same-sex couples. The decision came as support for same-sex marriage peaked - according to Pew polling, 57 percent...
Friday, August 19, 2016, 12:00 p.m.
Long Live Rock: The Hall of Fame Comes of Age
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum turns 21 this September. Since opening its doors in 1995, the Rock Hall has been a destination for tourists, witnessing more than 10 million visitors and bringing an estimated economic impact...
Friday, July 29, 2016, 12:00 p.m.
Satiated: Has Cleveland's Restaurant Industry Bitten Off More Than It Can Chew?
Cleveland has become one of the Midwest's top dining destinations. The national food press - Gourmet, Food & Wine, and Esquire - have praised Cleveland's chefs and innovative food scene. The New York Times, Travel + Leisure, and Fodor's all...
Tuesday, July 19, 2016, 12:00 p.m.
The American Dream: A Symposium at the Intersection of Art and Politics
When the delegates, conventioneers and media arrive in Cleveland for 2016 Republican National Convention, the conversation won't just be about politics. Local and visiting artists will be arriving, too, lending their perspectives on patriotism, free speech, equality, and freedom. Cleveland -...
Friday, July 08, 2016, 12:00 p.m.
Dramatic Power: The Past, Present, and Future of Theater in Cleveland
Both the Cleveland Play House and Karamu Theater are celebrating centennials this year. That's 100 years of regional and community theater and everything in between, helping our communities see and understand themselves in drama and narrative. With genre-bending, envelope-pushing organizations...
Tuesday, June 14, 2016, 7:30 p.m.
Best Books for Your Summer Reading List
Need some inspiration for your summer reading list? Then we have just the night for you! Join us and some of Cleveland's best literary minds for a discussion on notable 2016 books, including highlighting two standout non-fiction and two stand-out...
Tuesday, May 31, 2016, 6:30 p.m.
As Ohio Goes: Life in the Post-Recession Nation
In the months leading up to the 2012 election, Rana B. Khoury traveled across her home state of Ohio to interview the Americans hit hardest by the Great Recession. Since 1904, with only two exceptions, Ohioans have voted for the...
Wednesday, May 18, 2016, 6:00 p.m.
An Earnest Discussion of Cleveland and The Sports Connection
After a huge theatrical premier at the Cleveland International Film Festival, ESPN's "Believeland" premieres on television Saturday, May 14th. As the 30 for 30 documentary inspires us all to remember why we are prone to always feel like next year...
Thursday, May 05, 2016, 12:00 p.m.
Connecting the Humanities with Civic Engagement
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency created in 1965 and is one of the largest funders of humanities programs in the United States. Because democracy demands wisdom, NEH serves and strengthens our republic by...
Tuesday, January 12, 2016, 7:30 p.m.
Need some inspiration for your new year’s reading list? Join the City Club, Cal Zunt, of the Notable Books Council of the American Library Association, and Karen R. Long, Manager, Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, for a fun and lively discussion of...
Monday, September 28, 2015, 12:00 p.m.
Ohio Ballot Beat: Cuyahoga County Arts and Culture Levy
Leading up to the November 3, 2015 general election, The City Club of Cleveland will be featuring conversations on Ohio ballot measures. Approved by voters in 2006, the cigarette tax has provided $125 million for more than 300 arts organizations countywide,...
Monday, September 21, 2015, 6:00 p.m.
The Soul of Cleveland project derives from a celebration in discussion form. From January to June, a book store owner, naturalist, award-winning Cleveland writer, art historian and owner of a bakery, educators and architects met to determine how we “feel”...
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