Nova Stewart
Illustrator | Crafter | Art Educator
Arts Administrator | Community Advocate
Nova Stewart is an Arts Administrator, Educator, Illustrator, and Community Advocate based in Northeast Ohio. They hold a Master’s in Arts & Culture Management from the University of Akron (’25) and a BFA in Illustration from the Cleveland Institute of Art (’20), with additional concentrations in Creative Writing, Design, and Art Education. Nova has worked across numerous regional arts nonprofits supporting a range of functions from public programming, grant writing, event coordination, marketing & social media, and community partnerships.
With more than a decade of experience in creative entrepreneurship through their illustration brand Star Catcher Studio and other past experiences, Nova blends administrative insight with firsthand knowledge of the challenges artists face. Their teaching background spans K-12 visual arts, community programs, and adult workshops, alongside mentorship work helping emerging artists navigate professional practices, branding, and arts markets.
They are the co-founder of StarFall Creative Collective, a grassroots, artist-led initiative that hosts social creative events, researches arts resources, and cultivates spaces of care, access, and connection for creatives in Northeast Ohio. Their leadership work centers mutual aid, inclusive program design, and sustainable models for artist support.
Nova’s professional values are rooted in creativity, community, and care. Whether designing public-facing cultural events, building partnerships, conducting research, or managing arts spaces, they aim to create systems that nurture resilience and foster belonging - ensuring that the arts remain a transformative force for individuals and the communities they call home.
Their MA thesis, is a research project aimed at making it easier for visual artists in the region to access the resources they need to support their creative practices. It combines a comprehensive guidebook and StarFall's searchable digital database that maps out local arts organizations. Grounded in community feedback and arts administration theory, this work addresses barriers like fragmented information, accessibility, and limited support infrastructure, ultimately empowering artists to better engage with and shape our local arts ecosystem & community.
The Guidebook is currently in its final editing & peer review stage, and they will be pursuing options for self printing or official publishin.
