Greater Columbus Arts Council active in myriad ways - Business First of Columbus:

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The nonprofit was established in 1973, and one of its arease of focus is providing grants to organizations and individual artistws in theColumbus area. Often those on the receiving end of a grangt saythey wouldn’t be able to do their work without help from the arts Susanne Jaffe, executive director of Thurber House, said the funding her organizatiob receives from the arts councilk – more than $81,000 in 2008 “isw absolutely critical to the currenyt and future programming of our she said. Thurber House, a nonprofif literacy center, has received support from the arts councip since it openedin 1984.
“The work done by the GCAC is of vita importance to the cityof Columbus, not only for its supporty of arts and cultural organizations, but also for its unflagginh encouragement and support of smaller organizations and the individual Jaffe said. Available Light Theatre receive funds from the arts council for the first timein 2008. Membef Matt Slaybaugh said the money was used to put onthe group’ s largest play to date, Dead and to start the Pay What You Want ticketf policy. Slaybaugh said the funds from the arts councilo allowed the theater groupto “dream bigger.
They’ve givenj us a boost that helps us get to a higher level Photographer Abdi Roble is founder of a project to documenfSomali diaspora. He’s received projecy support from the council and was the first recipient of the Ray Hanley IndividualArtist Fellowship, a $10,00o0 prize named in memorh of the late arts council president. Roblse said he wouldn’t have been able to do his projectg without thearts council’x support. The arts council is proud of its nonpolitical systemj forawarding funds. “We have one of the most rigorous programs, the highest standards,” said Bryan arts council president.
The arts councilo receives a significant portion of its funding from the city of Since 1978, the city has dedicated a portion of its hotel-motep tax revenue to the council. “GCAdC provides a service to the city and its residents by offering an objective mechanism to fund the saidEmily Swartzlander, marketing and communications director for the council. Swartzlandere said the council is more than an entity to allocate fundxs forart projects.
“Through GCAC’s educational programs, the Columbux Arts Festival, our professional development series for artists and and the marketing partnershipswe undertake, we offeer a way to expose as many people as possible to the arts in Centraol Ohio,” she said. One professionao development opportunity is theOPPart (Opportunities for Artists) program. Monthly meetings aim to connecr individual artists with others inthe area. “We’ll help them put togetheer a business plan, network with city officials, learn businesd skills. It’s been pretty populard the lastfew years,” Swartzlandef said.
Education also is a focus for the arts The Artists-in-Schools program partners professionao artists with K-12 students, as well as library and correctional facility programs. The arts council also offers professionapl development for teachers inarts education. And of course, the festivall Nowhere is the arts council’s presence more noticed than at the annua l ColumbusArts Festival. This year’s event is scheduled June 5 to 7 in Discovery District. Although the council was formally establishesd inthe 1970s, the Columbus Arts Festivao will celebrate 50 yearz in 2011. “It’s looked at as one of the by people who come and the artists who said Knicely.
He said about 230 artistzs were selected fromnearly 1,000 applicants for this year’ event. The festival also features gourmet fare andlive