The Association for Consciousness Exploration LLC (ACE) is an American organization based in Northeastern Ohio which produces events, books, and recorded media in the fields of "magic, mind-sciences, alternative lifestyles, comparative religion/spirituality, entertainment, holistic healing, and related subjects."
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History
The organization was founded in 1983 by members of the Chameleon Club (founded in 1978), and their fictional founder, C. C. Rosencomet, on the campus of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Its primary directors are Jeff Rosenbaum and Joseph Rothenberg, and many of the founding members still make up much of the core organizing group.
As a campus organization they offered concerts by local musicians, offered a film series, and hosted appearances by Jim Alan and Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary, Dr. Raymond Buckland, and the first Cleveland appearance of Timothy Leary (at Amasa Stone Chapel).
In the 1980s, they also ran a "mind spa", providing hands-on experience with mind machines, biofeedback devices, and a sensory isolation tank.
The motto of the Chameleon Club is "CHANGE", and ACE's is "Dedicated to the Expansion of the Frontiers of Your Consideration". ACE was originally located at The Civic, a former synagogue in Cleveland Heights, OH, and there offered classes and featured appearances of Robert Anton Wilson, Timothy Leary, Robin Williamson, AmyLee, Ian Corrigan and Selena Fox.
In 1985 it moved its offices to the Masonic Temple Annex Building in the same city. Its offices were moved to the Starwood Center in 2014.
Activities and functions
ACE is best known for hosting the annual Starwood Festival, a six-day summer camping event held in July featuring live entertainment and classes on a variety of subjects including Neopaganism, eclectic spirituality, consciousness, and holistic health, and the annual WinterStar Symposium, usually held in February. They have also created the MusicStar Festival, Opening Inner Doorways, and The Thing in the Woods. They have co-sponsored events with other organizations such as the SpiritDrum Festival (with Musart) and the Rant 'n Rave (with the Church of the SubGenius [1][2]), and have participated in other organizations' events such as the Agora Psychedelic Festival, the World Magic Festival (created by Jeff "Magnus" McBride [3][4]), and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's psychedelic exhibit I Want to Take You Higher: The Psychedelic Era 1965-1969.
ACE produces and sells books, tapes, CDs and DVDs of performances, lectures and panel discussions from their events, and several obtained from other sources, including the ACE/Llewellyn Collection (a co-operative project between ACE and Llewellyn Worldwide) and the ACE/ADF Collection (a partnership with Isaac Bonewits and the Neo-druidic group Ár nDraíocht Féin).
Location
ACE maintains the Starwood Center, a workshop/seminar/bookstore facility in Cleveland, Ohio. Classes, drum circles and multi-media productions have been offered here, featuring occult author Isaac Bonewits, percussionist Jim Donovan, Church of the SubGenius Reverend Ivan Stang, Celtic Neopaganism author and bard Ian Corrigan, Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart of the Church of All Worlds, Neopagan folk singers Kenny & Tziporah Klein, and singer/songwriter Victoria Ganger. The first two DEVOtionals, an annual event run by fans of the band Devo, were held at the Starwood Center in 2000 and 2001 [5][6]. Stone Creed Grove, a local branch of the Neo-druidic group Ár nDraíocht Féin, holds occasional meetings and open rituals at the Starwood Center.