In a fragmented world starved for belonging, we seek to bring about a
Revolution of Tenderness
which cultivates a culture of encounter in which every person is seen, heard, welcomed, and loved. Rooted in the Christian call to tenderness, we bring people across differences into relationships of listening, friendship, reconciliation, and mutual care so that a more human world can take shape among us.
The Studio is the space where we put this into action. It offers a welcoming space where children and adults can develop creativity, skills, community, and resilience. Through free arts and music classes, book groups and fascinating seminars, clubs and cooperatives, the Studio provides opportunities for human flourishing and solidarity. We are located at:
36 Villa Drive
Steubenville, Ohio 43953
Please visit us or sign up for one of our classes! We’d love to meet you. You can find out more about the Studio here.
About Us
Revolution of Tenderness is a nonprofit that provides humanities education and free cultural events in Appalachia and beyond.
In 2023, the nonprofit opened a new creative space or “home” called The Studio so that we could expand our programming and have a place where relationships can put down roots and flourish.
We founded the Revolution of Tenderness in 2016 to respond to widespread loneliness and the inability of so many to communicate with people of different backgrounds and points of view. We seek to bring together various voices, approaches, and areas of study to promote dialogue and collaboration with and among our neighbors.
We’ve created art exhibits highlighting the work of Edward Hopper, the architecture of the Cathedral of Milan, and the paintings of Jean François Millet; music performances featuring salsa music from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, Appalachian music from SW Pennsylvania, many types of classical music, including an original piece we commissioned from the composer, Richard Danielpour. We have presented science exhibits on how the earth is uniquely suited to human habitation, on scientific discovery during the Middle Ages, and on the researcher Jerome Lejeune, who discovered the gene that causes Down Syndrome.
In all our work, we look for certain golden threads that run through all human actions: what is good, what is true, what is beautiful, and what promotes a culture of love and acceptance among people.
We want to help people make connections on every human level, but especially on the level of friendship.
We’ve recently opened a community center called The Studio in Steubenville, Ohio, where we offer free arts and music classes and several clubs that bring people together around shared interests or help us to learn new skills. With these classes and clubs, we seek to promote resilience and community.
To that end, we have organized six weekend-long cultural festivals (The Festival of Friendship) during which Muslims, Jewish people, Buddhists, and Christians of various denominations all served on panels and round tables to discuss themes such as hospitality, migration, inter-religious dialogue, the importance of pilgrimage, and the need for wonder in our intellectual pursuits.
Our working hypothesis comes from the 13th Century poet, Jacopone da Todi, who wrote,
“Everything, and all things together, cry out for one thing only: Love.”
Because we are certain that this Love characterizes the desire of all creation, we can speak with anyone and work with everyone we meet, no matter who they are or where they come from.
Our founder, Suzanne, and friends