Akron Will Install New Chakaia Booker Tire Sculpture
A new 17-foot art piece will arrive at the Lock 3 downtown space on October 26.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Openings & Closings
Live Poll
Do you believe funding new public art installations is a good investment for your community?
Curated Storefront will install a 17-foot tall sculpture created by artist Chakaia Booker in Akron's Lock 3 park starting on October 26. The permanent art piece is constructed from stainless steel and recycled Goodyear Eagle racing tires.
Why it matters
The installation seeks to integrate contemporary art into public downtown spaces through a partnership between federal grant funding and local art commission cooperation.
The sculpture stands 17 feet tall and is composed of stainless steel and recycled Goodyear Eagle racing tires. It will remain at the site for a minimum of 10 years, with an agreement that renews automatically thereafter.
The players
Chakaia Booker
She is a renowned contemporary artist known for her use of recycled rubber tires in complex, large-scale sculptural works.
Curated Storefront
This organization is an Akron-based non-profit that transforms vacant spaces into art installations to engage the public.
Akron Art Museum
This is a major cultural institution that serves as a center for contemporary art exhibitions and community artist programming in Ohio.
The details
The artwork is owned by Curated Storefront and requires recurring annual maintenance involving cleaning with water and WD-40. Installation efforts span two days, followed by public programming at the Akron Art Museum and an official dedication.
Timeline
October 26-27, 2026: Sculpture installation at Lock 3
October 28, 2026: Artist's talk at 6 p.m. at the Akron Art Museum
October 29, 2026: Dedication and naming ceremony at 1 p.m.
Market Landscape
This sculpture installation follows the established pattern of the Curated Storefront initiative for urban art renewal by placing a large-scale work in a central public corridor. The project underscores a broader strategy of using private-public partnerships to increase foot traffic and downtown engagement.
Visitors to the Lock 3 downtown area will gain access to a new public art piece, which is slated to remain on display for at least a decade. Residents are invited to attend both the artist's talk and the public dedication ceremony in late October.
The takeaway
Large-scale public art installations require long-term maintenance commitments to ensure their preservation in outdoor environments. Local organizations often use these projects to signal a continued investment in the artistic identity of a city's central business district.
Further reading
For more on new projects around the city, visit the Akron Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Signal Akron.
Live Poll
Do you believe funding new public art installations is a good investment for your community?
