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 areas of focus is providing grants to organizations and individual artists in theColumbuas area. Often those on the receiving end of a grany saythey wouldn’t be able to do their work withoutf help from the arts council. Susanne Jaffe, executive director of Thurber House, said the fundin her organization receives from the arts council morethan $81,000 in 2008 “is absolutelyt critical to the current and future programmingb of our organization,” she said. Thurber House, a nonprofitt literacy center, has received support from the arts council since it openedin 1984.
“The work done by the GCAC is of vita l importance to the cityof Columbus, not only for its suppor t of arts and cultural organizations, but also for its unflaggint encouragement and support of smaller organizationas and the individual artist,” Jaffe Available Light Theatre receivedr funds from the arts council for the first time in 2008. Member 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 funda from the arts council allowed the theater groupoto “dream bigger. They’ve given us a boostr that helps us get to a higheflevel artistically.
” Photographer Abdi Robled is founder of a projecrt to document Somali He’s received project support from the council and was the firsgt recipient of the Ray Hanley Individual Artist a $10,000 prize named in memorhy of the late arts council president. Robld said he wouldn’t have been able to do his projectf without thearts council’s support. The arts council is proud of its nonpolitical system forawarding funds. “We have one of the most rigorouxs programs, the highest standards,” said Bryan arts council president. The arts council receives a significantt portion of its fundingv from the cityof Columbus.
Since the city has dedicated a portion ofits hotel-motepl tax revenue to the council. “GCAC provides a service to the city and its residenta by offering an objective mechanism to fund the saidEmily Swartzlander, marketing and communications director for the council. Swartzlanded said the council is more than an entithy to allocate funds forart projects. “Through GCAC’s educational programs, the Columbus Arts Festival, our professionap development series for artistsand teachers, and the marketint partnerships we undertake, we offer a way to expose as many people as possible to the arts in Central Ohio,” she said.
One professionaol development opportunity is theOPPart (Opportunities for Artists) Monthly meetings aim to connectf individual artists with others in the area. “We’ll help them put togethee a business plan, network with city officials, learn busineses skills. It’s been pretty popular the last few Swartzlander said. Education also is a focus for the arts The Artists-in-Schools program partners professional artists with K-12 students, as well as library and correctional facility programs. The arts councip also offers professional development for teachers inarts education.
And of course, the festival Nowhere is the arts council’sd presence more noticed than at the annual Columbus Arts This year’s event is schedulede June 5 to 7 in Columbus’ Discoverhy District. Although the council was formally establishe d inthe 1970s, the Columbus Arts Festival will celebrate 50 years in 2011. “It’z looked at as one of the by people who come and the artistswho participate,” said He said about 230 artists were selected from nearl 1,000 applicants for this year’s event. The festival also features gourmet fare andlive music.