Akron Dream Hotline

After growing up in Greater Akron and spending 16 years on the West Coast, Saelyx Finna returned to Akron three years ago, ready to help the city tap into its collective unconscious. A recipient of a Knight New Work grant, Saelyx is exploring the intersection of dreaming, neuroscience, and the arts through multiple creative projects.

Saelyx is currently producing a film about the rise of dream tech: neurotechnologies that interface directly with the dreaming mind. It will be shot largely from a first-person perspective, mimicking the surreal experience of dreaming. The Nightlight Cinema will present part of the film

in 2026. Alongside the film, Saelyx is leading the Akron Dream Hotline, a participatory project that invites Akronites to anonymously share their dreams as part of a larger reflection on the city’s inner life during its bicentennial year.

Participants can contribute by submitting written responses or calling the hotline to leave a voicemail describing their dream. The survey was developed with input from a data scientist, and includes an ethics and usage statement to ensure participant anonymity is protected.

Saelyx believes that by examining our dreams, we can better understand ourselves—and, in turn, one another. By identifying patterns in the submissions, they aim to uncover a deeper answer to the central question: What are Akronites dreaming about as the city turns 200?