Collective Arts Network is thrilled to have won recognition in the Press Club of Cleveland’s state-wide, peer-reviewed All Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards, held Friday, June 2 at the House of Blues.

According to the Press Club’s rules, “Judging will be based on significance, clarity, writing, enterprise, effectiveness, originality and other criteria deemed appropriate by the judges. Judging will be done by out-of-state Press Club members. All decisions of the judges, including interpretation of the rules, are final.”

In 2023, CAN Journal editor and publisher Michael Gill won first place in the Best in Ohio Reviews / Criticism category, for a collection of five reviews published on CAN Blog.  Included in the collection were reviews of Asia Armour: In Bloom, at Deep Roots Art Experience; Alex Vlasov: I Promise to Make a Fabulous Ptg Tomorrow, at Massillon Museum Studio M; Nicole Malcolm: Please Come To My Party, at 1300 Gallery in 78^th Street Studios; Bound By Mail, the printed catalog published by moCa in lieu of its annual art book and zine fair; and a look at various music-based installations and performances in the 2022 FRONT Triennial, FRONT: To Soothe the Savage.  The judges noted that the writing “challenges us to look at the world more closely.”  This is the second year running that CAN has taken top honors as Best in Ohio for Reviews / Criticism.

Additionally, CAN Journal’s entire staff won second place in the Best General Circulation Magazine in Ohio competition. In 2019, CAN Journal won first in that same category.

The staff of CAN Journal congratulates all the winners, and thanks everyone who plays a role in keeping journalism—and especially arts journalism–alive in Ohio. We also thank the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District for its brilliant twitter feed, and for sponsoring the Excellence in Journalism Awards.