Artists Flutter at Stewart’s Caring Place: Healing Arts Gallery Expands Exhibition Space and Creative Programs for 2026

by Mac Love

The Healing Arts Gallery in Stewart’s Caring Place, a cancer wellness center serving 36 counties in Ohio, is expanding its exhibition space and art program to three, free months-long exhibitions a year in response to the resounding feedback from visitors and staff. “Art transcends clinical boundaries, touching our hearts and souls,” says Sarah Vojtek, president and CEO of Stewart’s Caring Place. “As a local nonprofit, we deeply value partnerships and collaborations, recognizing that art has the power to unite communities and ignite positive change. In 2026, we’re excited to nurture that growth by expanding our exhibition space from 1,250 square feet to 2,000 square feet.”

Located in Fairlawn, Ohio, Stewart’s Caring Place serves individuals and families with cancer and other health challenges through free non-medical support services. The Healing Arts Gallery plays an integral role on that journey, building bridges between artistic expression and emotional wellbeing. From its earliest exhibitions to its most recent shows, the Healing Art Gallery has carved out a reputation for heartfelt, community-centered art experiences.

Since 2020, Stewart’s Caring Place has exhibited the work of more than 150 artists and sold more than seventy pieces with 100 percent of the proceeds going directly to the artists. In 2025, Stewart’s Caring Place organized Beyond the Water, an exhibition featuring the work of more than thirty artists from Asheville, North Carolina, whose lives and creative practices were devastated by Hurricane Helene. The exhibit celebrated community resilience and the regenerative power of creativity in the face of adversity.

The Healing Arts Gallery is an intentionally-designed, reflective environment where all people are welcome to let their emotions surface and find solace. With research showing that artistic engagement can reduce anxiety, stimulate conversation, and enhance psychological wellbeing, Stewart’s Caring Place is leveraging the arts to help individuals and families cope with the stress of chronic illness or treatment. For many visitors—whether participants, caregivers, staff, or community members—the gallery has become a place of pause and perspective, inspiring a creative appreciation of our shared humanity spanning generations, cultures, and health journeys.

Stewart’s Caring Place is kicking off 2026 with the opening of Flutter, bringing together the works of more than fifty local artists and community members whose personal journeys of healing are central to their art. The show takes its name from a gathering of butterflies in flight, and is modeled as a salon des indépendants exhibition where anyone can submit one piece of art for display. Flutter is free and open to the public from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday, from March through May.

The Healing Arts Gallery will continue to present new exhibits throughout the year, encouraging all to experience the restorative power of art, and reminding us that healing is not just physical, but vital for our growth and human spirit.

ART x LOVE
35 South Main Street
Akron, Ohio 44308
artxlove.com
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330.238.8588

EVENTS:

Flutter, March–May. Open 9am-5pm Monday–Friday

Stewart’s Caring Place
3501 Ridge Park Drive
Fairlawn (Akron)