Mark Arehart

This story was originally published on May 3, 2019.

Pinball is surging in popularity across the country. Here in Northeast Ohio, casual players are rediscovering once forgotten games. And there’s a competitive pinball scene brewing that draws in players from hundreds of miles away.

On this week’s State of the Arts, WKSU’s Mark Arehart has his quarters ready as he takes us through the region's pinball renaissance.

The holidays are full of food, fellowship, and for many, watching holiday favorites on TV. But what makes something a Christmas movie? On this week’s State of the Arts, we talk with an expert on the subject.

Lake View Cemetery is the final resting place for many of Cleveland's most famous residents. But it's also the subject of a yearlong passion project by Cleveland Heights photographer Michael Weil.

On this week's State of the Arts we explore "Moonlight in the Gates: 150 years of Lake View Cemetery in a New Reflective Light."

From Atari to Xbox, the world of video games has grown from arcade subculture into a multi-billion dollar industry. An exhibition of video game artwork—both inspired by and created in virtual worlds—is now on display at the Akron Art Museum. On this week's State of the Arts, we delve into the landscape of "Open World: Video Games and Contemporary Art."

Racing legend Mario Andretti was on hand as Bridgestone America offered a sneak peek Monday of its new race tire production facility in Akron.

For some people, when they think of wallpaper they may think of garish prints from the '60s and '70s. Or maybe even their childhood bedroom.

Two Akron wallpaper lovers got together to write a book about the Rubber City’s love affair with wallcoverings. On this week’s State of the Arts, we peel back the pages of the new book "If This Wallpaper Could Talk" by Karen Starr and Shane Wynn.

Michelangelo's sculptures and paintings are a cornerstone of art history. But the artist was notoriously private with his notes and sketches. A new exhibition at the Cleveland Museum of Art provides a rare glimpse into his creative process. On this week's State of the Arts, we take a walk through "Michelangelo: Mind of the Master."

Cleveland Book Week starts Sept. 18 with literary events celebrating the winners of this year’s Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. Four authors are honored for their work celebrating diversity and understanding the roots of racism.

This fall, media outlets, universities and people around the world are remembering the year 1619, the year a ship carrying more than 20 slaves came ashore in what is now Virginia. An exhibition at the Allen Memorial Art Museum in Oberlin looks at how artists are exploring slavery and the African Diaspora.

In this week's State of the Arts, we take a walk through "Afterlives of the Black Atlantic."

Peter van Dijk, the renowned Cleveland architect who designed Blossom Music Center, died Sept. 7 at the age of 90. In a career spanning more than five decades, van Dijk designed some of Northeast Ohio’s most recognizable buildings.

The National Park Service has cleared the way for pedal-assisted e-bikes to be used in all parks nationwide, including Cuyahoga Valley National Park. In Peninsula, officials, bike vendors and riders gathered for test rides.

After 150 years, the final edition of The Youngstown Vindicator hits newsstands Aug. 31. There are efforts to keep The Vindicator name under a different publisher and a few outside news organizations plan to expand coverage in the area, but it's still the end of a daily news era in Youngstown.

The Ohio Alliance for Arts Education is welcoming a new leader. Jarrod Hartzler is leaving Akron’s Tuesday Musical to take over as the Alliance’s executive director.

On this Week's State of the Arts we sit down with Hartzler, who thinks some things are working in schools when it comes to the arts, while other aspects need improvement.