Over the last few months, Cleveland’s Transformative Art Fund – worth $3 million – has faced significant scrutiny following the city’s refusal to release the receipts. Literally.

Created in 2024, the $3 million grant was designed to invest in not just the local economy but disenfranchised neighborhoods. The grant received hundreds of applications, and ultimately seven projects received between $300,000 and $500,000. Some of the projects were time-based, such as a live performance. Others promised to transform neighborhoods with murals, art gardens and even a mushroom house. 

So far, several different news organizations – including Axios Cleveland – have made attempts to obtain the financial records. In turn, both the city and its institutional partners have continued to point the finger at each other in terms of who was responsible for what. 

While I’ve managed to help shake loose a couple hundred pages from the city, dozens of questions – and records – still remain. For example, why isn’t there a single receipt in any of the paperwork?

One project, For Art’s Sake, spent $194,900 on “Artist’s Needs,” according to financial records, with no further detail. The same project also reported that 100% of its grant allocation – $465,300 – was spent in the “local Cleveland economy.” During the city’s presentation to its arts and culture committee on Monday, the city emphasized the importance of that outcome.

Then why did the event’s headliner come from New York? Ironically, the event was called the “I’m From Cleveland Festival”, hosted by the social media account of the same name.

The city also claims that the fund sponsors “nearly 600 new artworks, installations and performances.” Where are they? A dozen or so murals and a couple installations can be tracked down, but little information exists on where art remains in the community. 

These questions matter, again, because government transparency matters. The city should support and fund the arts, but it should be intentional, transparent and visible. 

I’m still waiting for answers, and hopefully we’ll have them soon. In the meantime, buckle up for an early 2000s nostalgia bomb, plus a relatively recent TV show about Muslim riot grrrls. I also interviewed Ohio-based author and podcast host, Danny Caine, about his new narrative series about how people are fighting back against Big Tech.

Thanks for reading,
Dakotah

P.S. As always, tips are appreciated → venmo or cash app.

It was a simpler time, and I don’t miss it exactly, but there’s a lot I’d like to go back to. But not high school. I’m good, thanks!

High school was… not great, but I feel pretty lucky to have had cool enough friends to introduce me to bands like Rilo Kiley, The Decemberists and Bright Eyes, who I think might just be the moody rock trifecta of the mid-2000s. I mention Rilo Kiley specifically, because Jenny Lewis fronted the band before putting out solo projects such as her 2006 album, Rabbit Fur Coat.

The song I want to recommend is “Rise Up With Fists!!” because I think it’s one of the many anthems we need during these terrible, terrible times. I’ve been picking through the music that I loved in high school, and when this song came on last week, it resonated more than ever.

Alright, last week was probably my all-time favorite book (Battle Royale) and this week is probably my all-time favorite movie: Saved! 

There honestly isn’t enough time to capture everything I love in this movie, so I’ll keep it short: a catholic school, Mandy Moore as the mean girl, immaculate conception and 20ish year old McCauley Culkin perhaps in his best role. Saved! Also stars Jena Malone, who folks either recognize from Donnie Darko or the Hunger Games depending on how old you are. 

Recently in an interview, Mandy Moore was asked which of her movies she wished more people had seen. Obviously, she said this one.

God, I am jealous if you haven’t seen it before. You’re in for a treat.

The worst thing about We Are Lady Parts is that it’s on Peacock, which is probably why you’ve never heard of it. If you have a free trial in your back pocket or an internet pirate friend who can help you watch it, it’s time to call in that favor.

We Are Lady Parts is a British series about a punk band made up of exclusively Muslim women. With original songs like, “Voldemort Under My Headscarf” and “Bashir With The Good Beard,” the other “worst thing” about the show is that it only has two seasons. 

There’s still hope for season three, but there was a three-year wait between the first (2021) and second (2024). Still, it’s totally worth it, as there really isn’t anything else like this on TV.

The series is hosted by Ohio’s Danny Caine as part of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance’s “Building Local Power” podcast. The first two episodes premiere on Thursday, April 30.

What does it mean to have a data center show up in your backyard? That’s the motivating question behind “The Data Centers Are Coming,” a new podcast series hosted by Danny Caine and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The first two episodes premiere tomorrow, and the series explores how communities are fighting against tech giants like Amazon, Google and Meta.

“The data center story is an amazing example of good local organizing,” Caine, who lives in Columbus, told Upbeat Nonsense. “Change making is still quite possible at the local level.”

For Caine, who is also a writer, the story became deeply personal when he found out that Anthropic had used one of his books to train its generative AI model. The book, “How to Resist Amazon and Why,” shows how Amazon’s discount strategies ultimately harm writers. 

“I spent years working on that book, and it’s continued to open doors for me,” Caine said. “I like to think that I’m a progressive person who embraces technology, but I’ve yet to be convinced that it makes anyone’s lives better.”

In addition to using artists’ work without permission, generative AI has demonstrated severe public health consequences. Data centers use a large amount of electricity and water, further straining the communities they occupy. In turn, the costs of utility bills have increased in Ohio, a state that has experienced public utility scandals.

Across six episodes, Caine travels to cities such as Baltimore, Memphis and Ashburn, Virginia, known as Data Center Alley, to capture the personal stories of the people on the frontlines against tech expansion. If you want to understand how Data Center Alley got its name, you can scroll through this tool. 

“It’s terrifying, it’s about the evils of big tech and monopolies, but there has been amazing organizing and galvanizing of people,” he said. “The severity of all this and how it motivated people to fight back made a very compelling story.”

Whether it’s hanging out with neighbors or canceling your Amazon subscription, the most important lesson is to stay connected with community members. 

“The distance between us and elected officials is shortest at the local level. We build local power by knowing our neighbors, organizing and holding elected officials accountable,” Caine said.

The first two episodes premiere tomorrow, April 30, and you can find out more information here.

Sometimes, you just need to say “fuck that” and stop putting up with everyone else’s BS. Here’s a little push in the form of a two-and-a-half minute “honest” meditation.