YSU’s Factor: Reading, Cooking, Supporting Arts From Afar

Lori Factor, director of community engagement and events at Youngstown State University’s Cliffe College of Creative Arts & Communication, is hanging tough. Lori also organizes YSU’s Summer Festival of the Arts. You can read more about the college here.

What are some ways the COVID-19 outbreak has affected your organization?

The Cliffe College of Creative Arts & Communication at YSU hosts hundreds of events every semester, including student and faculty music recitals, theatre and dance performances, art exhibitions, lectures and special events. All of those activities were canceled, so naturally it has impacted how our students and faculty deliver those events, as well as our loyal patron base who enjoys what we offer. An enterprising and creative group, faculty and students rose to the occasion to deliver online classes, lessons and performances, some of which were available to the public. Not only did this provide what our students needed academically, but it also gave the community opportunities to continue engaging with the college. A prime example of this was the C3 series of YouTube videos that were steadily rolled out during recent months which highlighted all areas of the college. Sadly, the YSU Summer Festival of the Arts, originally scheduled for July 11 and 12, was also cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While we know this was the best decision, cancellations are difficult for our creative arts colleagues and professionals — artists and performers — who rely on events like this for their income.

How about your personal life?

I am working from home for the moment, waiting until we are permitted to return to campus. Our daughter just graduated a few weeks ago from YSU with her MBA and our son finished his sophomore spring semester there, so we see them on occasion since they don’t live at home now. We are trying to do what most people do: cooking, completing some home projects and thinking about a garden, which I have not been able to undertake well in some time!

What steps are you taking to hang tough?

I am an avid reader of all types of material—anything from books and magazines to online articles, so I have plenty to keep me occupied. I have also enjoyed some of the movies and series on Netflix and Amazon Prime. I love to cook, so, while it’s just my husband and me at home now, I have had the luxury to explore this a bit more. I have expanded my normal repertoire to include quick breads and scones, soups and homemade pierogi. It’s been fun to share the bounty with our children and parents. There are a few household and outdoor projects that will be tackled, too. That being said, it will be a summer unlike any other in recent memory as I won’t be devoting most of my time to Summer Festival activities. Having more free time in the summer than I have been used to in almost 20 years will be very different.

What advice are you sharing with the people you love?

That there are two ways to look at this time away from our normal lives: either we embrace the situation and make the best of it, finding out what we truly need, or we succumb to worry and negativity. I also think this is a good time to explore new interests, reconnect with people we may have lost touch with, and just enjoy some solitude. I’m choosing to make the best of this time, pausing to take a breath and feeling blessed in many ways.

Anything else to add?

I am naturally tuned into the rich and vigorous arts and culture community in the Mahoning Valley. Beyond the large cultural treasures such as the Butler Institute of American Art, the DeYor Performing Arts Center, Stambaugh Auditorium, Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre and similar entities in Warren and western Pennsylvania, we are home to amazing smaller galleries, studios and performance spaces that have been compromised during this time. In addition, the individual artists who provide quality of life to the fabric of our community at festivals, fairs and other events through their artwork, music or performances have seen their livelihoods come to a halt. My request to our community moving forward is to support the arts and individual artists to the extent you can afford. We have all turned to and enjoyed the arts more than once to get through this time at home. They need us to return the favor down the road.