Be the Light

Mac was invited to give this year’s feature presentation at Progress Through Preservation’s (PTP) annual meeting. The theme of the meeting was “By the light of the lamp,” which inspired Mac to create Be the Light: A Novel Approach to Public Art & Preservation as an empowering call to action for facing fear and uncertainty with creativity and innovation. Mac’s 30-minute presentation featured a rich assortment of video, data, best practices, and actionable steps the community and PTP can take to address today’s challenges.

Be the Light included an overview of Art x Love and reflections on the phenomenology that inspires our practice. Mac showed how the Rubber Worker Statue & Akron Stories projects were developed, and shared an update on the Akron Stories kiosk. He also gave attendees a tour of the Akron Public Art Inventory with a summary of our findings and live demonstration of the inventory for Glendale Steps and the John Brown Monument. Mac concluded the presentation with an overview of our regional funding landscape, and provided PTP with a comprehensive list of funding mechanisms and upcoming grants that could help them achieve their goals for 2026 and beyond.

The HÜG Place, formerly Temple Israel, served as the venue for this special event, providing a renovated backdrop at a historic site that was built in 1911. Mac was deeply grateful to share some stories, insights, and opportunities at a pivotal time for historic preservation.