17 November November means a host of thanksgivings November 17, 2015 Executive Message, For the Public, Public artie, cuyahoga county, dan katona, donna s collins, election day, grant guidelines, OAC, ohio arts council, online grant application, thanksgiving 0 The thing most often on people's minds when the calendar turns to November is ... the holiday shopping season of course! I mean, by November 1st, Halloween is over, and the retail world totally skips Thanksgiving to ensure their establishments are decked out in red, green, silver, and gold. But for all of us here at the Ohio Arts Council, the month of November means a host of thanksgivings—the one with a capital T—and many more. Introducing ARTIE and Revised Guidelines Introducing ARTIE and Revised GuidelinesEarlier this month we launched ARTIE (Arts Resources Through Innovation and Engagement), our new online grant application system. We are thankful to our Board for investing in technology that helps us all work smarter. Already, many of our constituents created profiles in ARTIE and started reading the revised fiscal year 2017 Guidelines. Thank you for responding to us so quickly! We are thankful to Dan Katona, our agency’s deputy director, who led the effort to ensure the FY 2017 Guidelines are clean, uncluttered, and less than one-third the length of prior documents. You'll find the information you need—who is eligible, how to apply, what you'll be evaluated on, and how to get help if you need it—so you can prepare and manage your OAC grant-writing efficiently and effectively. ARTIE and the Guidelines 2017 bring the agency fully into the modern world of online grant-making. Online support materials, electronic signatures, intuitive navigation, rich text editing, improved security—the list of improvements goes on and on. Election Day Election Day provided a big win in Cuyahoga County with the passage of Issue 8. Karen Gahl-Mills and Tom Schorgl—two key arts leaders in Cleveland—shared with us that more than 225,000 people voted 'yes' for Issue 8, a 75% rate of approval. Every Ohioan wins with this issue because Cleveland is a day trip away from anywhere in the state. We can all enjoy the area’s arts programs, performances, and events. Our state’s vibrant tourism industry will be strengthened too. We extend our thanks to everyone who participated in continuing to make arts and culture a priority in Cuyahoga County and beyond. Public Engagement November also provided the OAC opportunities to hold public meetings in the Mahoning Valley and Central Ohio’s Licking County. We are thankful for our local hosts: Power of the Arts and The Works. Engaging with people who are passionate and dedicated to the arts reminds us of how thankful we are to live and work in Ohio. Individuals in the arts and culture sector (professional staff, artists, board members, volunteers, donors, ticket buyers, etc.) make participating in the arts accessible and meaningful. We are thankful for the arts leaders in communities across the state. So as we plan for our traditional Thanksgiving—preparing a meal for family, volunteering at a local shelter to feed others, or enjoying traditions—your colleagues at the OAC pause to give thanks for you. Happy Thanksgiving, Donna S. Collins Executive Director Comments are closed.