Category: Uncategorized

Counting down the days until the Columbus Arts Festival

For me the only thing better than a lemon shake-up in summer, is sipping one while walking through the Columbus Arts Festival. It is so close (June 9-11) that I can almost taste it. This truly is my favorite time of year. No matter what changes at the Festival (and…

GCAC is jumping into the new year with new programs and people

We are almost six weeks into the new year and 2023 has gotten off to a pretty incredible start here at GCAC.  We kicked off two new programs, welcomed two new people to our team and are embarking on new public art initiatives. In January we officially welcomed 18 artists…

Wrapping up 2022 and diving into 2023

It is not unusual for a year to be full of both endings and beginnings. This year, however, the feeling of transition—of wrapping up old projects and embarking on new directions—seemed particularly poignant. Tom Katzenmeyer, CEO, president of the Arts Council A few weeks ago we celebrated the book launch…

Why vote?

Let’s address the biggest fake news out there right now. “Voting doesn’t matter.” Not what you expected right? But this is one piece of fake news I hear far too often these days and we need to put a stop to it right now. Voting DOES matter. When we show…

Artists Elevated is an investment in people

We recently announced the 2022 Artists Elevated awards with investments of $20,000 in unrestricted funds going to Filmmaker Sterling Carter and Choreographer Mariah Layne French. Our hope, when we developed the Artists Elevated awards, was that this money would provide artists the financial boost they need to expand their career…

Investing in the Arts. Building Community. Together.

It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks and once again I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude toward the city of Columbus—the people and the institutions that support the arts. Most recently, June 16, the Greater Columbus Arts Council board of trustees approved $8,578,211 in grants to arts organizations through…

2021 brought plenty to be grateful for

Like many, I pause during the holiday season to consider all that I have to be grateful for. As I looked back on 2021, I realized that—despite a slow and uneven recovery from the pandemic—there is plenty to celebrate in the Columbus arts community. Today I’d like to take a…

#ArtUnitesCbus Temporary Mural Installation Winter 2020

The Art Unites Cbus project came about as a solution to an immediate challenge, how to turn broken windows into messages of support for Black Lives. Columbus businesses and organizations hired artists to paint the temporary plywood with messages that ranged from calls for justice, humanity and hope to expressions…

Why the 2021 Arts Fest can’t happen, but 2022 is looking very good

Today, with a heavy heart, I have to announce that we are canceling the 2021 Columbus Arts Festival. I can’t believe that I have to write this again; however, there is simply too much uncertainty surrounding the pandemic to responsibly host an event that draws hundreds of thousands of people…

Recording a moment within a movement

The Greater Columbus Arts Council has received dozens of messages related to the temporary murals painted on boarded up windows throughout the city. I’d like to give you an update on where things stand. Tom Katzenmeyer, president & CEO of the Greater Columbus Arts Council These murals…

2020—The year of doing things differently

It probably goes without saying that this is a year of doing things differently. But what is worth discussing is HOW people and organizations are working differently, particularly when so many of our usual avenues of exchange—both social and economic—are restricted. Tom Katzenmeyer, president & CEO of…

Grateful to Columbus for being Columbus

I’ve been practicing gratefulness a lot more lately. It’s an interesting twist of human nature that we often struggle to truly appreciate and feel thankful for the good things in our life–until they are gone. Tom Katzenmeyer, president & CEO of the Greater Columbus Arts Council But…