Many thanks to everyone who participated in our contest for two tickets to the Summer Solstice celebration June 20 at the Cleveland Museum of Art!

We received many inspired entries, but there can only be one winner. 

Drum roll, please…

The winner is–Alex Ash

Here’s Alex’s winning essay:

As a recent graduate of Case Western Reserve University, and life-long resident of Cleveland, I have always been fortunate enough to have the wonderful Cleveland Museum of Art right in my backyard. Additionally, my passion for Art History was sparked in high school, and continued through college! I became an Art History major and CMA certainly had a part in that. Although most of the museum was closed for my four years here, I still was lucky enough to have classes there, as well as access to the best kept art-secret for art lovers in Cleveland–Ingalls library (and perhaps the biggest reason that I got so many A’s!) My passion for the subject was confirmed this spring, when as a senior we were granted access to view “La Vie” by Picasso in one of my courses. I saw all the other artwork propped against the walls and to be honest, my heart exploded with happiness to have such an amazing opportunity.
Cleveland remains one of the only free art museums and that to me just symbolizes the importance of art that the museum strives to share with the entire community. Art doesn’t have to be for the ritzy, educated elite, and Cleveland truly GETS THAT. Art should be accessibly to all–old, young, educated, interested and even the skeptical–and CMA really makes that possible. Numerous events, such as Parade the Circle, also establish CMA as a force to be reckoned with in this community, and only aid in spreading the joy, enchantment, mystery and fulfillment that art has to offer. The Cleveland Museum of Art is a great resource for not only the community, but has personally and unforgettably effected me. It helped shaped my time in college as well as the direction I’d like to take in the future with regards to my career, and for that I am eternally grateful!

Alex, we couldn’t agree with you more!  If you didn’t win this time around, we’ll be posting a new contest in the next couple of days, so get ready.  And here’s a hint:  it’s all about the art.

Stay tuned!