Submitted photo Carole Conatser took this photograph from the Parapet Bridge overlooking Lake Glacier for Day in the LOOP.

More than 50 works were selected for the first Day in the LOOP, and planning is underway for a second edition.

LOOP Youngstown, an organization working to create a community arts and culture center in the region as well as offering opportunities for the arts community, invited the public to document Oct. 17, 2025, and share their contributions, creating a “day in the life” of the region.

A panel that included artist Autumn Joi Ellis, photographer and educator Tony Nicholas, author and historian Tom Welsh and photographer and former Soap Gallery owner Stephen Poullas selected 55 submissions that can be viewed in a permanent digital archive at LOOPyoungstown.org.

“The response was actually really overwhelming,” said Carrie Leonard, LOOP Youngstown’s director of communications and operations. “We were so excited to see how many people from all over Mahoning and Shenango valleys decided to participate.

“I did not expect to get paintings. We expected photographs and writing and maybe even a few videos, but we actually got several paintings and drawings and sketches. I thought that was just such a great way to express creativity.”

A Day in the LOOP includes works created by Bill Adams, Will Anderson, Daniel Bancroft, Rebecca Banks, Kendra Blake, Jordan Bond, Deborah Carl, Carole Conatser, Laura Courtwright, Scott Cross, Paul Cross, Sharon Cross, Louis Cross, Dominic Cross, Tom Cvetkovich, Nicole DeLucia, Cynthia Fernback, Elizabeth Ford, Lisa Frederick, India Gatts, Tristan Hostetter, Bortmask Photography-Kattie Bortmas, Continuing Healthcare of Boardman, Richard Knight, Dina Liguore, Lauren Macovitz, Lauren Mathews, Tracy McQuillan, Daniel Rauschenbach, Michele Ristich Gatts, Dorothy Schill, Renee Sheakoski, Christine Silvestri, Elise Skolnick, Shane Trevor, Linda Vasconi and Tyterieon Wright.

In addition to the digital archive, a reception is planned from 3 to 5 p.m. Feb. 8 at Westside Bowl, 2617 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown.

“We’re going to have an ongoing slideshow with all of the submissions from Day in the LOOP,” Leonard said. “It’s going to be on a screen, and everybody can see all the images. We’re hoping that some of the writers will come up and read their pieces for us, which would be really exciting, and the curators will be there, and they’re going to say a few words about their experience and how they felt about the overall mission. We’re just going to have a chance for the participants and the rest of the community to kind of mingle and socialize and have a nice community gathering.”

Sept. 25 has been selected as the date for the 2026 edition of Day in the LOOP. Registration will begin in the summer. Leonard said they expect an even bigger response this year.

“I think the project was just a little bit hard for everybody to visualize,” she said. “Some people got it. Some people needed a little more explanation. Now that we have one already and people can see what it’s all about, I think that’s going to be the biggest draw for next year. I’ve already had a bunch of people talk to me and go, ‘Oh, now I know what you’re talking about. I can’t wait to participate this year.’ So I think just getting the word out a little bit more and using this one as an example, I think that we’re going to get so many more submissions this coming year.”