Andre “Dray” Evans
The Rising Arts Leader award recognizes an individual arts contributor, manager, advocate, volunteer, or patron with fewer than five years of involvement in this role.
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Dray Evans is multi-talented in arts, film, and motivational speaking, and is a dedicated father of two daughters and a son. As a single father, he is very active in his children’s lives. He provides a foundation that demonstrates patience, compassion, understanding, and love. His children are gifted with the same talents that God gave to him and that makes him most proud. What brings Evans inexpressible joy each day is sharing his passion for art with others. He is a pillar in the art community by painting for clients such as music mogul, Master P, and designing murals throughout the city. His most recent work is murals on the side of Mr. Pantry in West Akron, and inside the new bourbon and food bar called Perfect Pour, where he did a characteristic landscape of downtown Akron. His proudest accomplishment was opening “The 10 Spot Experience,” Akron’s hippest performing art school located at 565 Wolf Ledges Parkway. It’s a safe space for kids and young adults to be creative and bring out their colorful imaginations. Evans believes that art can help children learn and practice skills that are beneficial for emotional, social, and cognitive development.
