ArtsOhio Blog

Celebrate the Arts With Me

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 20:16:56 GMT

This month is chock-full of celebrations. For instance, we awarded more than $14.7 million in grant funding this month—but it's more than that. It’s about leadership for the arts, support for artists and arts organizations, appreciation for volunteers in the arts, celebration of professional staff in our arts organizations, and a huge thank you to our authorizers: Governor Mike DeWine, and members of the Ohio House of Representatives led by Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) and Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof (R-Montville Twp.)! We also acknowledge grant review panelists and the Ohio Arts Council board for their review and approval of grant awards. All of this to say—we are celebrating people, resources, creativity, arts learning, and so much more because Ohio values the arts!

We also celebrate the Massillon Museum and the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County with Lit Youngstown, who received National Endowment for the Arts Big Read grant awards. Look for more details on the fantastic programming these organizations have in store for the upcoming year. Through local partnerships and creative leadership, they are planning so many fun events that will make literature come alive in ways you’ve never seen before.

Did you know the Ohio State Fair is more than agriculture, amusement rides, concerts, and food? Recently, the Ohio Arts Council honored 15 Ohio artists for their work with awards at the 2019 Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition. From artwork that reflects the world around us through a natural lens to pieces that encourage interactive exploration, this exhibition—considered the largest juried exhibition in the state—is fabulous, and it was difficult to pick the honorees with nearly 250 artists participating in the amateur and professional artist categories this year.

This month we also celebrate a first for the Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery. The Natural Expressions exhibition now on view through October 19 was curated by four high school students with guidance by Erin Shapiro, curator of the Springfield Museum of Art. Student curators include Mikayla Anderson (Elyria High School), Kaia Armstrong (Colerain High School), Sydney Chabot (Portsmouth High School), and Jayden Nanthavong (Whitehall Yearling High School). This experiment was an opportunity for us to explore how real-world experiences can bring Ohio’s Fine Arts Standards in the Visual Arts to life, with the curatorial process touching on elements such as: exploring various methods of art criticism in responding to artworks; using appropriate vocabulary to define and describe techniques and materials used to create works of art; analyzing the work of individual artists and explain how they are influenced by cultural factors; applying methods of art criticism when discussing selected works of art; and engaging in discourse and express a point of view about issues related to the public display of works of art—to name a few!

And, of course, we are celebrating the adoption of the state fiscal year 2020-21 biennial budget for arts and culture through the OAC, an historic high of $34.5 million. This great news comes at a time when increased funding was desperately needed, as application numbers soared higher than ever before—requests during this past grant application cycle were at an all-time high! Public funding for the arts is always something to celebrate, and I hope you agree that a vibrant arts and cultural state makes Ohio a better place to live, work, and learn.

Our state funding allows us to provide resources that reach all 88 Ohio counties. The experiences and engagement you have with our governor, your state representative and senator; and your mayor, county commissioners, and city council members matters. Always, always invite these policymakers to your events, tell them your stories of success, and remind them that they helped make the experiences you’re presenting possible through public funding for the arts through the OAC.

I've traveled the state to meet with some of the finest arts leaders in the world, and I often have to remind them that their work, long hours, innovations, and engagement also need celebrated. So, for just a moment, I’d like you to consider your successes. If you work with an arts organization, think about those successes, and now schedule time to celebrate. Share the good news—pat yourself and your colleagues on the back for jobs well done. And remember to thank your board members, patrons, audience members, and legislators for their part in making your work worth doing and experiencing in the most generous way.

Until next time,

Donna S. Collins
Executive Director

Featured Photo: The Ohio Arts Council staff recently participated in a screen printing workshop at Blockfort in Columbus. It was a great experience getting out in the field and seeing the inspiring work Ohio artists are doing every day.

Ohio Arts Organizations Receive National Grants for Literature Programming

Mon, 08 Jul 2019 20:27:22 GMT

Three Ohio organizations will bring works of literature to life through national grant funding that supports community reading programming.

The Massillon Museum and the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County with Lit Youngstown were each awarded a $15,000 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read grant, the NEA announced in a media release. This year, 78 NEA Big Read grants totaling more than $1 million were awarded in 31 states. The funding supports community reading projects taking place between September 2019 and June 2020.

NEA Big Read grants, which range from $5,000 to $15,000, are awarded to organizations such as school districts and universities, libraries, and arts organizations. Grant recipients use the funding to develop specific programming related to their Big Read book selection.

“The NEA Big Read program provides a fantastic opportunity for organizations to share impactful works of literature through programming that introduces audiences of all ages to new genres, voices, and viewpoints,” said Ohio Arts Council Executive Director Donna S. Collins. “The Ohio Arts Council is proud to have organizations from our state earn funding at the national level in recognition of the work they do to provide enriching experiences in the arts for everyone.”

For the 2019-20 program, the Massillon Museum will develop programming focused on Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, a graphic novel memoir by longtime New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast.

“The graphic novel format of Chast's book provides what we think might be a gentler approach to the themes of aging, caregiving, familial strife, and even death. Chast also imbues humor into the narrative, providing both levity and access points for understanding and conversing about deeper subjects,” said Massillon Museum Executive Director Alexandra Nicholis Coon. “Roughly 60 percent of the Massillon Museum's current membership is comprised of seniors; by the year 2030, it's projected that nearly 75 percent of the country's population will be 65 and older. Therefore, the relevance extends beyond the museum's audience, and is one to which readers nationally can connect.”

For its 13^th year of Big Read programming, Coon said the Massillon Museum is once again partnering with several regional organizations, including the Massillon Public Library, which is offering events for all ages ranging from film screenings to book discussions. Through another long-running partnership with Massillon Washington High School, the museum will present Big Read-inspired one-act plays written by local authors and directed and performed by students at the high school.

This year, they are also working with Voices of Canton, a local choral arts association, to incorporate musical performances by its Senior Sings and Alzheimer’s Community Chorus ensembles into events such as a day-long film festival at the museum. A focus on physical wellbeing also underscores plans for programming, with events such as yoga classes, Art and Alzheimer’s workshops, and an eight-week series on wellness and movement scheduled throughout the year. Dozens of additional programs have been organized in collaboration with area partners such as the Massillon YMCA, Stark Parks, Walsh University, and Kent State University.

“There are endless ways to draw connections. Being an art and history museum allows MassMu and its partners to creatively interpret the books for the shared benefit of the community,” Coon said, also mentioning that 1,000 free copies of Chast’s book will be distributed throughout the community. “Each year, our partner outreach extends further, engaging more people in the life of the Museum and, of course, in literature arts. We connect our exhibition themes and draw from our permanent collections to enrich our programming, and we love seeing how excited the community becomes about each new book.”

More information about these programs and events can be found at massillonmuseum.org.

For its Big Read programming, the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County with Lit Youngstown will focus on Luis Alberto Urrea’s Into the Beautiful North, a present-day quest novel set in the U.S.-Mexico border region.

“The book gives us a means to discuss some issues that are at the surface now: immigration, diaspora, opiates, and trying to navigate the economic realities of today,” said Lit Youngstown Founding Director Karen Schubert. “(Into the Beautiful North) is kind of an adventure novel, and I feel that the whole Youngstown community is on this same quest. We’re striving to find our story and identity, in our case, after the steel industry collapse, the impact of the 2008 financial crisis and the loss of two-thirds of our population.”

A full calendar of community programming related to Into the Beautiful North is scheduled in collaboration with local organizations, including book discussions, an author talk, a local community theatre reading, and a film festival hosted at the library.

Other events planed for the upcoming year include a three-minute fiction contest hosted by Lit Youngstown; a Wick Poetry Center Traveling Stanzas presentation highlighting works that focus on immigrants’ experiences; narratives of immigrants living in Youngstown; and collaborations with Youngstown State University, including the art department and the planetarium, the latter of which will host an event about Southwestern celestial mythology.

Additionally, Schubert said 1,000 copies of the book will be provided in both English and Spanish, as well as in audio book form, to branches of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County. The Rotary Club of Youngstown will also donate one copy of the book to every Little Free Library in the area.

More information about these programs and events can be found at libraryvisit.org and lityoungstown.org.

Launched in 2006 as a partnership between the NEA and Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read initiative has provided more than $19 million to organizations, allowing more than 1,400 Big Read programs throughout the country to take place.

According to the release, more than 4.9 million Americans have attended an NEA Big Read event, approximately 82,000 volunteers have participated at the local level, and 39,000 community organizations have partnered to make NEA Big Read activities possible.

“It is inspiring to see both large and small communities across the nation come together around a book,” said National Endowment for the Arts Acting Chairman Mary Anne Carter. “We always look forward to the unique ways cities, towns, and organizations explore these stories and encourage community participation in a wide variety of events.”

To view a complete list of 2019-20 NEA Big Read grant recipients organized by state, visit: rebrand.ly/big-read-2018-19

More information about the program can be found at arts.gov/neabigread.

ABOUT THE OHIO ARTS COUNCIL

The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Connect with the OAC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or visit our website at oac.ohio.gov.

ABOUT ARTS MIDWEST

Arts Midwest promotes creativity, nurtures cultural leadership, and engages people in meaningful arts experiences, bringing vitality to Midwest communities and enriching people’s lives. Based in Minneapolis, Arts Midwest connects the arts to audiences throughout the nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. One of six nonprofit regional arts organizations in the United States, Arts Midwest’s history spans more than 30 years. For more information, visit artsmidwest.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. For more information, visit arts.gov.

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Article by Amanda Etchison, Communications Strategist

Featured photo: Participants in a previous Big Read community event create alfombras de aserrín, a sawdust carpet traditionally made during Holy Week to celebrate Easter in Guatemala. Photo courtesy of Massillon Museum.

Ohio Arts Organizations Receive National Literature Grants

Tue, 12 Jun 2018 19:15:34 GMT

Two Ohio arts organizations have received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to present community reading programs.

The Center for Arts-Inspired Learning and the Massillon Museum were each awarded a $15,000 NEA Big Read grant, the NEA announced in a media release. This year, 79 NEA Big Read grants totaling more than $1 million were awarded in 34 states plus Puerto Rico.

“The Ohio Arts Council is proud to have organizations from our state earn funding at the national level in recognition of their quality arts programming,” said Ohio Arts Council Executive Director Donna S. Collins. “The NEA Big Read program allows audiences of all ages to deeply engage with exemplary works of literature in a variety of contexts. The innovative programming offered by Ohio’s arts organizations encourages a lifelong love of reading and inspires community discussions on important issues impacting our world today.”

For the 2018-19 program, the Massillon Museum will develop programming focused on Burning Bright, a novel by Ron Rash. In addition to distributing 1,600 books to the community, the museum is set to host Rash as its keynote speaker. Throughout 2019, the museum will offer programming that encourages the exploration of Massillon’s identity and Appalachian heritage. Visitors will be able to engage with a series of free public lectures, workshops, and family-friendly music and theatre performances.

The museum will also host Looking at Appalachia, a photography exhibition curated by Roger Moore. The exhibition will visually present some of the themes addressed in Rash’s book.

“The Massillon Museum is honored and thrilled to host the NEA Big Read for its 12^th consecutive year,” said Megan Fitze, education and outreach manager at the Massillon Museum. “Next spring, the museum with the Massillon Public Library and numerous community partners will celebrate Burning Bright by Ron Rash.”

Cleveland’s Center for Arts-Inspired Learning is also a former NEA Big Read grant recipient. The Center, which was recently honored with a 2018 Governor’s Award for the Arts in Ohio in the Arts Education category, will offer arts programming related to Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to once again partner with the NEA to highlight the importance of literacy not only in the city of Cleveland but all of Cuyahoga County,” said Center for Arts-Inspired Learning Executive Director Marsha Dobrzynski. “It is our hope that residents throughout the county will engage in our NEA Big Read celebration of Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine and find meaningful connections to their daily lives.”

Part of the Center’s Big Read programming will include book discussions, movie screenings, poetry and creative writing workshops, and a county-wide poetry slam presented by Lake Erie Ink. More information is set to be announced in October.

“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support opportunities for communities across the nation, both small and large, to take part in the NEA Big Read,” said NEA Acting Chairman Mary Anne Carter. “This program encourages people to not only discuss a book together, but be introduced to new perspectives, discuss the issues at the forefront of our own lives, and connect with one another at events.”

To view a complete list of 2018-19 NEA Big Read grant recipients organized by state, visit: goo.gl/tUFpJp.

More information about the program can be found at arts.gov/neabigread.

ABOUT THE OHIO ARTS COUNCIL
The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Connect with the OAC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or visit our website at oac.ohio.gov.

ABOUT ARTS MIDWEST
Arts Midwest promotes creativity, nurtures cultural leadership, and engages people in meaningful arts experiences, bringing vitality to Midwest communities and enriching people’s lives. Based in Minneapolis, Arts Midwest connects the arts to audiences throughout the nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. One of six nonprofit regional arts organizations in the United States, Arts Midwest’s history spans more than 30 years. For more information, visit artsmidwest.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. For more information, visit arts.gov.

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Article by Amanda Etchison, Communications Strategist

A History of Advocating for Women in the Arts

Thu, 10 Mar 2016 16:50:08 GMT

In January, the voices of pioneering female artists from the past found a new outlet on late-night television: Frida Kahlo, Kathe Kollwitz, and Zubeida Agha—clad in black garb and gorilla masks—sat down with talk show host Stephen Colbert for a pithy and informative chat about the under-representation of women and artists of color in the art world.

Of course, the women in camouflage weren’t actually Kahlo, Kollwitz, and Agha, all of whom have long since passed. The mysterious figures were the Guerrilla Girls, a group of feminist art activists who champion equal representation in the arts—all while taking on the names of deceased female artists and donning masks in public to maintain their anonymity.

The Guerilla Girls began their work in 1985, using humor and striking visuals to raise awareness of discrimination and under-representation in the arts space. For the past three decades the group—along with other organizations, like the National Museum of Women in the Arts and Women in the Arts, Inc—has promoted women’s contribution to the field, consistently resurfacing a critical question: Where are all of the successful female artists?

As we celebrate Women’s History Month this March, it’s impossible not to consider the impact women have had in the arts, as well as the lasting effects of a long history of bias against them. According to NMWA, 51 percent of visual artists today are women, but only 28 percent of museum solo exhibitions spotlighted women in eight elected museums throughout the 2000s. In addition, women are far less likely to hold positions of leadership at museums with large operating budgets than their male peers.

All of this begs another question for arts advocates to consider: What do we lose when we exclude the vision of women artists and artists of color from the picture?

“Frida Kahlo” summed it up perfectly during the Guerrilla Girls’ interview with Colbert: “If all the decisions are being made by the same people, the art will never look like the whole of our culture.”

In recognition of Women’s History Month, we encourage you to check out several of the events and exhibitions below that celebrate women’s contributions to arts, or highlight the work of female artists:

Columbus Museum of Art: "Museum Day Live!"

Columbus, OH | March 12, 2016 | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
The Columbus Museum of Art will join hundreds of cultural institutions across the country for Museum Day Live!, a nationwide campaign that encourages all people—and particularly women and girls of color—to explore their nation’s museums, cultural institutions, zoos, aquariums, parks and libraries, which will all offer free admission.

Ohio University: International Women's Day Festival
Athens, OH | March 13, 2016 | 2 - 6 p.m.
The Ohio University and Athens community will celebrate International Women's Day during Women's History Month with performances, including poetry, music, and dance.

Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center of Worthington: "Janet Grisson: Life is Art"
Columbus, OH | Until March 13, 2016 | Visiting times vary
Artist Janet Grissom's textured and vibrant work is featured in a series of landscape paintings that highlight experiences and subjects from her travels.

Women's Arts Club Cultural Center: "Unique Impressions"
Cincinnati, OH | Until March 27, 2016 | Visiting times vary
This exhibit features plein air paintings by more than a dozen female artists.

Cincinnati Museum Center: "Museum Mondays: Cincinnati's Influential Women"
Cincinnati, OH | March 28, 2016 | Noon
The Cincinnati Museum Center will celebrate Women's History Month by hosting women who brought significant changes to art, education, and social activism in the city.

Society for Photographic Education: "Your White Light"

Cleveland, OH | Until March 28, 2016 | 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
In this exhibit, Sonja Thomsen uses photographs, sculpture and a site-specific installation to create reflections and refractions that augment our ways of seeing.

Akron-Summit County Public Library: Massillon Museum Celebrates Women's History Month
Akron, OH | March 29, 2016 | 2 pm.
This Massillon Museum event will highlight early 20th-century women photographers.

The Gallery at Lakeland Community College: "From WOMAN IX"
Cleveland, OH | Until April 1, 2016 | Visiting times vary
Thirty-four local and regional women artists from Northeast and Central Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania will exhibit 148 works created in a variety of media, including oil and acrylic painting; drawing and collage; clay and ceramic sculpture; and more.

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Article by Lindsay Ferguson, 2016 Innovation & Engagement Fellow
Photo by Alex Holyoake on Unsplash