About the Council

MISSION

The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.

VISION

Providing leadership and voice for the arts to transform people and communities.

HISTORY

The Ohio Arts Council was created in 1965 to foster and encourage the development of the arts and assist the preservation of Ohio's cultural heritage. With funds from the Ohio Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts, the OAC provides financial assistance to artists and arts organizations. The Council accomplishes this charge in two primary methods; first, through the various grant funding programs that the Council operates to provide support to artists and to make arts activities available to a broad segment of Ohio's public; and secondly, by providing services that help to enhance the growth of the arts. 

STRATEGIC PLAN

The Ohio Arts Council's Essentials Plan is a strategic plan for the coming months.  It lays out a way forward for the agency through four pillars: INVEST, ENGAGE, INNOVATE, and LEAD, which guide program prioritization and resource deployment. The Essentials Plan positions the OAC to remain relevant, responsive, and nimble as the state’s artists and arts organizations face new and unexpected challenges to their stability, resiliency, and resolve. 

ANNUAL REPORTS

Released in December 2022, the Ohio Arts Council's FY 2021 Annual Report reflects the collective success of government and its citizens to come together to fund and support quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Along with our constituents and authorizers, this report celebrates and demonstrates the agency's historic statewide arts engagement, serving Ohioans in all 88 counties.

Biennial and Annual Report Archives

FY 2021 Annual Report
FY 2020 Annual Report
FY 2018-19 Biennial Report
FY 2016-17 Biennial Report

Public Information & Policies

Grant Overview
NEW! Discover the types of funding we offer.

Budget Overview
NEW! Learn about our agency and why public funding matters.

Budget Testimony
Read the Ohio Arts Council's budget testimony for the FY 2024-2025 Biennial Operating Budget, presented to members of the Ohio General Assembly.

Policies
Read our policies on privacy, public records, and more.

Accessibility
View our accessibility policy and resources.

Public Information Request
Make a public information request here.

Essentials Plan

Download the complete Essentials Plan 2021.

Essentials Plan 2021 cover