A Word from the Chair

As we undergo a strategic planning process this winter and spring, the GCAC board and staff are doing a lot of thinking about the mission of our organization, and what it means to encourage and support the Columbus arts and cultural community.

Funding is a large part of that support because without consistent, long-term funding, arts organizations cannot survive. In 2006, GCAC gave over $3 million to organizations and individual artists for Operating Support, Project Support, Technical Assistance, Neighborhood Grants and Individual Artists Fellowships. But we recognize that our financial support isn't the only source of funding for area arts organizations, and we applaud the businesses and individuals who donated to the arts in 2006. We also thank the City of Columbus, Franklin County, the Ohio Arts Council and our private and corporate donors, who provide us with the funding we need to offer financial assistance to the organizations we serve.

Advocacy is another form of support, and GCAC remains committed to raising awareness, both inside and outside the city, of central Ohio's rich cultural and artistic community. We pledge also to work with the city, including the members of the city's Creative Columbus Policy Steering Committee, as they determine the role of the arts in our city's future.

Partnerships allow us to offer collaborative support and creative solutions. We value our partnerships with the City of Columbus, Franklin County, educational institutions, cultural organizations, individual artists, businesses and our many other program partners in the community, and we will work to make these relationships even stronger in the years to come.

Another crucial aspect of supporting the arts is ensuring arts access for everyone. Through the Columbus Arts Festival, Children of the Future and our Artists-in-Schools program, we strive to open the doors for anyone who wants to experience the arts. And we promise to work even harder to reach new audiences, and to help arts organizations reach new audiences as well.

In recent years, Columbus' arts and cultural community has been celebrated in national publications as one of the best in the nation. As we take our cultural community to the next level, we look forward to working with the government, civic, business and nonprofit organizations to help encourage, support and reach our goals.

Mark Corna
Chair, GCAC Board of Trustees