Mahoning grant supports guitar exhibit at Butler

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning County commissioners Thursday authorized a $2,500 grant from the county’s hotel bed- tax revenues to the Butler Institute of American Art for hosting a traveling exhibition on the history of the guitar.

The exhibit will open Jan. 22 and run through April 16.

“Medieval to Metal: The Art & Evolution of the Guitar” will feature 40 instruments, ranging from the intricately inlaid Moorish oud and 6-foot-long Renaissance theorbo, to the modern Italian design of the Eko and transparent acrylic bodies of California’s B.C. Rich guitars.

It also includes life-size photorealistic illustrations of historically important guitar designs and 20 photographs of acclaimed musicians and their guitars.

“They’re considering the craftsmanship of the guitars as works of art, and there will be over 40 instruments spanning centuries of craftsmanship and design on display, as well as photographs of renowned musicians playing these instruments,” said Linda Macala, director of the county’s Convention and Visitors’ Bureau.

“It’s a very unique exhibit. It’s not going to be anywhere else near us in 2017, so this was a score for the Butler, and this is our support of that exhibit,” she told the commissioners before they voted to authorize the grant.

The Butler is working with local musicians to present some ancillary programs related to the exhibit.

The museum also will show videos of legendary performances of iconic guitarists throughout the run of the exhibition.

A schedule of the events will be posted soon at butlerart.com.

The exhibit was developed by the National Guitar Museum based in the New York City area, which creates traveling exhibits from its extensive collection, but does not have a building that is open to the public.

Admission to the Butler, 524 Wick Ave., is free, as is the guitar exhibit’s opening day reception from 1 to 3 p.m. The Butler is open Tuesday through Sunday.

The commissioners also reappointed retired Youngstown Police Detective Sgt. Delphine Baldwin-Casey to the county Children Services Board for three years.