In August 2023, Josh Chefitz, an artist and school social worker, purchased actlocle.com with the intention of creating a Cleveland-based version of “Etsy.” As he pitched this idea to dozens of local artists and creators, he noticed recurring themes in their conversations about what they truly needed to support their creative endeavors. Realizing that their insights could lead to a much better platform, he shifted his focus from “.com” to “.org,” incorporating everything he had learned:
The creators expressed a need for a centralized list of events, deadlines, and exhibition spaces, an easier way for locals to discover them and their work, and for businesses passionate about the arts to serve as local storefronts. The mission for ActLoCLE is to fulfill each of those needs and to be a place where creators and Clevelanders meet.