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GCAC’s mission is to support and advance the arts and cultural fabric of Columbus

Our vision is a thriving Columbus where the arts matter to all of us

  • Cultural Equity
  • Cultural Capital
  • Sustaining Excellence
  • Building Community
  • Welcoming to All
  • Inspired Advocacy
  • Cultural Equity
  • Cultural Capital
  • Sustaining Excellence
  • Building Community
  • Welcoming to All
  • Inspired Advocacy

In 2022 GCAC Supported

  • $10,196,881
    In Total Grants
  • 675
    Individual Artists
  • 93
    Organizations
  • 9,244
    Employees

Artist Impact

Artists Elevated

At GCAC we’re not just arts advocates, we’re ARTIST advocates. We know artists are the backbone of our creative community and we are committed to getting them the support they need to be successful. With funds from our Endowment the Artists Elevated we provide $25,000 grants to mid-career artists to take the next step on their creative path

You can hear it in his voice, his laugh, the way he travels throughout a conversation. Sterling Carter loves the arts. And most of all, he loves being an artist.

Read Sterling's Story

Tay Lane’s dream is to start a production company called Walter Lane, named after her beloved dog who recently passed.

Her dream is fueled by her late husband, Chris, whose memory is a reminder for her to continue directing, producing, and giving back to the community.

The Artists Elevated Award is making her dreams come true.

Read Tay's Story

Quianna Simpson seeks to understand how traditional African dance serves the African American community today. Music and dancing are integral parts of African society and are intertwined in teaching and promoting social values, celebrating special events and major life milestones, performing oral history and other recitations, and spiritual experiences. But, according to Quianna’s preliminary research, those aspects of dance are not being utilized in America.

Read Quianna's Story

For Mariah French, to dance is to feel at home.

Since she was a child, dance has been a way to connect with the world around her. Mariah has fond memories of gathering all the neighborhood kids in their backyard to choreograph elaborate dances to perform for the neighborhood.

Read Mariah's Story

Community Impact

A FEW OF THE WAYS BEYOND GRANTS GCAC SUPPORTS THE CENTRAL OHIO COMMUNITY

At GCAC, we believe that creative expression is essential to human life and our vision of a thriving community where the arts matter to all of us remains our driving force—guiding our commitment to supporting and advancing the arts and cultural fabric of Columbus every day.

  • Art Makes Columbus

    Art Makes Columbus/Columbus Makes Art is the city’s go-to site for arts and cultural events, artists and public art. Browse thousands of arts events each year, explore the artists that call central Ohio home and find public art in your neighborhood and beyond.

    Columbusmakesart.com

  • Public Art

    GCAC is leading the effort to create a comprehensive public art plan for central Ohio. Called Greater Columbus. Greater ART.,” the year-long initiative to create a roadmap for the future of public art in the central Ohio region. With funding from the city of Columbus, Franklin County and GCAC, this will be the first comprehensive public art plan for the city and county and will create a blueprint for the next five to 10 years for public art in Columbus and Franklin County.

    takepartcolumbus.com

  • Navigators

    GCAC Navigators was launched in 2023 as a new initiative to help GCAC engage more deeply with our diverse community. The GCAC Navigator program hires 14-18 artists each year in multiple disciplines, with multiple language skills, to share resources and guide community members through GCAC grant and fellowship applications.

    2023 Navigators

  • Columbus Arts Festival

    One of the most highly acclaimed 
arts festivals in the nation!

    The Columbus Arts Festival is the city’s welcome to summer event, turning the downtown riverfront into a stunning gallery of visual art and performance. Each year nearly 500,000 people converge on Columbus to enjoy three days of art, music, dance, theatre, food and fun. The 62nd Columbus Arts Festival will take place June 7-9, 2024.

    columbusartsfestival.org

Contribute to our Impact

We invite you to become a champion of creativity.

Join us in championing the transformative power of the arts by supporting artists and ensuring that their creative voices continue to shape and elevate our society.

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