Rikki Santer
Creative Writing, Poetry, & Film Studies
Rikki Santer has worked as a journalist, magazine and book editor, co-founder and managing editor of an alternative city newspaper in Cleveland, poet-in-the schools, high school teacher of English and film studies, and director of a student writing center. Currently she is serving as a vice-president of the Ohio Poetry Association, education consultant for Film Columbus, member of the performing poetry troupe, Concrete Wink, and she holds an Ohio Department of Education Lead Professional Educator teaching license as well as National Board teacher certification.
She earned a MA degree in journalism from Kent State University and a MFA degree in creative writing from The Ohio State University.…
Mansee Singhi
Indian Dance/Movement
“To dance is to express!” is the mantra of Mansee’s life.
Mansee Singhi is a Columbus, Ohio-based Indian classical dance performer, choreographer, and teacher. Her artistry has been shaped profoundly by renowned Gurus from India since the age of seven, performing experiences in various countries such as Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and various places in the U.S. and collaborations with a multitude of artists in the field of dance and music.
Mansee has been a member of the United Nations Dance Council since 2012 and more recently joined the Board of OhioDance.…
Klaire Smith
Visual Arts, Printmaking
Printmaker and collaborative artist, Klaire Smith was born in the hills of Southern Ohio and raised in Portsmouth, Ohio, the region and its beauty having always been a point of inspiration. Attending the University of Rio Grande, Klaire graduated with honors in 2016 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. While in college they took a special interest in supplemental education methods and collaboration. Klaire was certified as a Professional Printer at the Tamarind Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico studying lithography and was trained professionally as a collaborator. Personally, Klaire’s work touches on regionalism, Appalachia, and its social complexities.…
Marquette Stankowski
Drama/Theatre, Theater Arts and Public Speaking
Marquette Stankowski has worked as an actor, teacher, and director for more than 20 years. He is currently the artist-in-residence at New Albany Primary School. In his role, he develops and leads two signature experience programs in which all students in two grade levels participate. The Carnival of the Animals is the first grade experience that culminates in a dance and poetry performance. The second grade experience, The Journey, combines music, poetry, dance and visual art with the school’s second grade science curriculum. It also culminates with a performance at New Albany’s McCoy Center for the Performing Arts.…
Stephanie Stewart
Visual Arts, Acrylic, Mixed Media Collage, & Bookmaking
Stephanie Stewart is the artist and owner of P31 Art & Design. She has been a contributor to the arts and culture sector for many years and has built a creative business from the ground up. Stewart consistently produces original works of art that are used as a central point of inspiration for all of her handmade products and print goods. Stewart works in the mediums of acrylic paint, watercolor, and mixed media content. With her love for art with a focus on the contemporary genre, Stewart’s artwork has been exhibited in galleries and art venues throughout northeast Ohio.…
DeAndra Stone
Dance/Movement, Modern, Ballet, Contemporary, Liturgical, & Creative Movement
As a Black American woman raised in the urban communities of Cleveland, DeAndra believes in creating space for all regardless of their race, gender identification, age, religious preferences, geographical location, perceived disabilities, educational background, and varying viewpoints. DeAndra studied Dance at Cleveland State University while earning her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, and Master of Science in Health Sciences. DeAndra has taught at the collegiate level, primary through secondary education, as well as community settings such as Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Coventry Children’s Center, and guest with A.R.K.…
DaShika Street
Visual Arts, Painting, Sewing, Candle Making, Murals, & Digital Art
Da’Shika A. Street is an Akron-born creative, wife, and mother of three whose enterprising spirit and artistic influences are shaped by her faith and the legacy of entrepreneurs and artists who preceded her.
Da’Shika’s most recent endeavors have blossomed from Project Sew United, a home-based facemask sewing initiative that she started in 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to produce a proprietary 3-layer CDC-approved facemask. The project quickly grew and morphed into what’s now known as Street Craftery, a creative studio founded in 2022, where Mrs.…
