What is Public Value?

In early 2004, the OAC introduced the idea of public value to its constituents - a core concept to the OAC and Ohio's arts organizations as we move into a new era for the arts. Public value is difficult to define in concrete terms. The most important thing about public value is that it is something that exists within each community - it is created by the citizens, businesses and organizations of that community. The OAC can't define public value for the entire state or even for a particular community or organization. Our goal is to help our constituents seek out and define the public value within their own work, within their own community, and to, in turn, help reveal that public value.

It's vital that you - as artists and arts organizations - gather evidence of public value. Ask participants how they've changed, whether they're different as a result of engagement with your art and with your organization.

For more information about public value please visit the Convenings Page which contains resources such as links to New Frameworks for Revealing Public Value in the Arts (Christy Farnbauch, Mollie Lakin-Hayes, Jerry Yoshitomi; copyright, March 2004) and remarks made by Wayne Lawson and Jerry Yoshitomi during the March 2004 meetings.

Within this page we hope to offer some concrete examples of public value as revealed by organizations and individuals throughout Ohio. Each month we will feature a new sample of public value stories.

This Month's Public Value Story

In October, 2007 three Easter Island artists took part in a two-week international artist exchange in Cleveland. The visiting artists included Maria Arrendondo, a headmaster of the municipal school of Easter Island as well as an artist and a printmaker; Juan Lucas (Aka) Rapu, a dance teacher and choreographer as well as the general coordinator for the catholic school of the island, and Joanna Pakomio, a tri-lingual journalist from Easter Island currently living in Santiago, Chile who recorded the event and served as a translator. The exchange was a partnership between the Ohio Arts Council, Playhouse Square Foundation and Inlet Dance Theatre, a contemporary dance company in Cleveland and was supported by the Ohio Arts Foundation, Inc and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.

Children from Cleveland area schools learned about Rapa Nui (the traditional name for Easter Island and its culture) and the traditional dances of island. The artists performed for Ashtabula Elementary School children for their final event after rehearsing with Inlet Dance Theater. As part of the exchange, dancers from Inlet plan to visit Easter Island in April.

The following is an excerpt of a letter received from Inlet Dance Theatre sharing the impact the exchange had on the artists and children involved:

Bill Wade
Artistic Director/Founder
Inlet Dance Theatre

January 2007 Public Value Stories
February 2007 Public Value Stories
May 2007 Public Value Stories
August 2007 Public Value Stories
September 2007 Public Value Stories
October 2007 Public Value Stories
November 2007 Public Value Stories

2005 Public Value Stories
2006 Public Value Stories

If you would like to share your public value story please e-mail Jami Goldstein at jami.goldstein@oac.state.oh.us.

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