FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2022

Heights Arts Presents

a local business raffle to support Heights Arts

July 1 – July 31, 2022

Please direct all media inquiries to Rachel at  heartintheheights@heightsarts.org

Cleveland Heights, OH: HEART in the Heights is a local business raffle to support the arts during the entire month of July. Twenty-seven Heights businesses have pledged to raise $1000 for Heights nonprofit Heights Arts, by contributing raffle items of $50 or more and inviting customers and patrons to purchase raffle tickets to win the items. All raffle ticket proceeds will benefit Heights Arts and provide funding for its literary, musical, and visual arts programming. Winners will be announced live from Heights Arts on August 7, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.

This program is not just a typical raffle. It is a program of mutual support among participating businesses, city leaders, and Heights Arts — “a perfect fit for the city known as ‘Home to the Arts.’” Says executive director Rachel Bernstein, “HEART in the Heights is much more than a fundraiser for Heights Arts. It is also community engagement, economic development, and a way to raise awareness about the rich arts environment and unique businesses in our community. Cleveland Heights and the Heights in general are home to many residents and small businesses who know that the arts are an important part of why living in the Heights is so appealing. Our goal is to raise awareness and support each other through this project.”

The showing of support is, indeed, mutual, which makes this program unique. The Heights Arts board, five Cleveland Heights city council members, and Zagara’s Marketplace have contributed a total of $2000 to create a grand prize package for four winners — one grand prize winner of $800 (16, $50 gift certificates) and three value prize winners of $400 (eight, $50 gift certificates) of their choice from participating businesses. These dollars will go right back to many of the businesses when the grand prize and value prize winners are chosen.

Raffle ticket buyers can show their support for their favorite businesses by helping them meet their fundraising goal. “I believe that Heights Arts’ commitment to Cleveland Heights and local artists is critical to maintaining and growing the spirited community we live in. I am proud to have a business in the Heights along with so many amazing businesses like Heights Arts”, says Bridget Thibeault, Chef/Owner of Luna Bakery and Café and business participant.

Raffle tickets are $5 per entry, with an extra entry for every $15 spent. They can be purchased by texting a unique code, scanning a QR code on-site at each participating business, or by selecting the raffle item from the Heights Arts website at www.heightsarts.org/heartintheheights.

Bernstein has been impressed by the response to this new and innovative idea: “When I pitched the idea, I was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response from my board, city leaders, our presenting sponsor Verne & Ellsworth Hann, and the participating businesses. We have all been so focused on surviving the pandemic, and I think this is a refreshing way to celebrate making it through a very scary couple of years. Even many businesses who couldn’t participate fully have donated raffle items to featured packages to show their support. They understand that this benefits Heights Arts, the businesses themselves, the people who purchase the raffle tickets, and, ultimately, the entire community. I can see it growing into a yearly event.”

Participating Businesses:

Aladdin’s Cedar-Fairmount
Cedar Lee Theatre
Bialy’s Bagels
Critical Hit Games
Dewey’s Pizza
Fairmount Cleaners
Fiddlehead Gallery
Green Tara Yoga
The Grog Shop
Heights Hardware
Lotus Flower Yoga
Luna Bakery and Cafe
Mac’s Backs
Marchant Manor
Mitchell’s Fine Chocolates
Mister Brisket
Mojo World Eats and Drinks
New Heights Grill
Passport to Peru
Shawn Paul Salon
S’il Vous Play
Sophie la Gourmande
Starbucks, Cedar-Fairmount
Stone Oven Bakery
Taste
Tommy’s
Woodwind Workshop

Prize Packages and Contributors:

$2000 Grand Prize Package: Heights Arts Board; City Council members Craig Cobb, Tony Cuda, Melody Joy Hart, Gail Larson, Josie Moore; Zagara’s Marketplace

$700 Arts and Culture Experience Package: Artful, The Bop Stop, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Ensemble Theatre, Heights Arts

$300 Award-Winning World Eats Package: Amba, Geraci’s, Pacific East, The Tavern Company, The Wine Spot, Zhug

$220 Coventry Raffle Package: Artful, BD’s Mongolian Barbeque, Eddy’s Barber Shop, Heights Libraries, Made Cleveland, Mindful Mix

HEART in the Heights is made possible by presenting sponsor Verne & Ellsworth Hann, Inc.

About Heights Arts

Heights Arts’ mission is to celebrate the region’s literary, musical, and visual artists, and share their contributions with the community.

Founded in 2000, Heights Arts (www.heightsarts.org) is a nonprofit, multi-disciplinary arts organization whose mission is to cultivate a strong, diverse, and collaborative arts community by inspiring people of all ages to engage in the arts; supporting the arts through education; providing exhibition and performance opportunities; and fostering public appreciation for the arts.

Since its inception, Heights Arts has:

• Presented more than 90 exhibitions, featuring the work of more than 500 local and regional artists
• Offered over 60 sold-out chamber music concerts featuring local professional musicians in throughout greater Cleveland, and presented countless free gallery concerts featuring local ensembles
• Provided more than $1.4 million to date in direct support to artists through sales of their work, commissions, and performance fees
• Hosted 10 Poets Laureate – the only community in Northeast Ohio and one of only two cities in the state with a resident laureate until 2018
• Sponsored 13 public art and design projects in the Heights community, including the Coventry P.E.A.C.E Arch and Cedar-Fairmount murals and signage
• Grown a base of 400+ individual, and businesses memberships

Heights Arts is generously supported by funding from individuals, businesses, and organizations, including: The AHS Foundation; Ashly Whitmer Correa Foundation; Cuyahoga Arts & Culture; The Jean, Harry, and Brenda Fuchs Family Foundation; The Mandel Foundation; The David and Inez Myers Foundation, and The Ohio Arts Council, and Verne $ Ellsworth Hann, Inc.

Heights Arts Collaborative, Inc
2175 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 44117
216-371-3457