In March 2026, Art x Love’s downtown Akron studio and gallery hosted a sign-making party in anticipation of the national NO KINGS protests on March 28th. To support the effort, we designed the posters and created the marketing materials to raise awareness and spread the word about the protest. In preparation for the sign-making party we collected, organized, and prepared a wide array of materials so that visitors could quickly and easily express themselves and share their vision for the protest.
More than 200 people showed up over the course of the 8-hour long sign-making party, some with an idea of what they wanted to do, but most looking for inspiration and assistance. A projector and computer were set up in the back of the gallery, giving visitors a quick resource and reference point to bring their idea to life. Mac helped illustrate many of the posters when needed, creating a unique expression of protest for each visitor. He also helped create the Signs of Fascism series of protest posters for Indivisible Akron and Akron Democracy Defenders.
A key objective of the sign-making party was to engage a broad audience and to bring more people to the table to share their perspective on America’s current leadership. As part of this initiative, James Plested, a local documentarian and film-maker, chronicled the sign-making party and NO KINGS protests. Beyond the Rally: Finding Your People and the Reality of Local Action was filmed at Art x Love’s studio and gallery, serving as the backdrop for organizers testimonials, encouragement, and calls to action.
James Plested filming Noelle Bowman at Art x Love studios.
