COLUMBUS, Ohio – The board of trustees of the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) approved a first round of 36 Project Support grants totaling $411,300. Project Support grants provide funding for a broad range of arts and cultural projects, events and programs.
“We are overjoyed to see the multitude of local artists and organizations that are passionate about sharing art with their patrons and the central Ohio community,” said Kimberly Cole, grants and community engagement manager. “It is an honor to encourage these organizations and help facilitate the execution of events, exhibitions and performances that enrich our city’s culture and distinction.”
This first round for 2023 includes 14 first-time applicants and four individual artists who received funding for their projects. Community groups such as Columbus Rings, Clintonville Community Choir and Columbus Pride Bands plan to use Project Support funding to expand their community partnerships and diversify their reach, while the KBK Foundation’s Black Fine Art Fair and Bobby Couch’s Black Fashion Expo focus on furthering economic and social development for artists. Returning applicants include cultural festivals and productions such as Thiossane Institute, Columbus Asian Festival, Harmony Project and Cartoon Crossroads Columbus.
| Organization Name | Project Title | Amount |
| Aethereal Jest Arts Council | 2023 Fall Season | $4,142 |
| Albert Battle | Second-Annual Motown Mother’s Day Concert | $7,167 |
| Alkebulan Ujamaa | 26th Annual Juneteenth Ohio Festival | $19,500 |
| Art Possible Ohio | ReelAbilities Film Festival Columbus FY24 | $9,900 |
| Asian Festival Corp. | Columbus Asian Festival | $25,500 |
| Bobby Couch | Black Fashion Expo | $22,500 |
| Cartoon Crossroads Columbus | Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC) 2023 | $29,100 |
| Central Ohio Branch of National League of American Pen Women, Inc. | “To Create…Takes Courage” Art Exhibitions | $2,178 |
| Central Ohio Hot Jazz Society | Central Ohio Hot Jazz Music Series | $3,800 |
| Chamber Music Columbus | Chamber Music Columbus | $22,500 |
| Clintonville Community Choir | Clintonville Community Choir 2023 Season | $6,718 |
| Columbus African Festival | Columbus African Festival | $10,500 |
| Columbus Dance Alliance | Dancers/Dancing/Dances: moving and growing community within Columbus | $3,000 |
| Columbus GospelFest — Fun-Fest | 39th Annual Columbus GospelFest and AllDisabilities Fest | $13,500 |
| Columbus Pride Bands | Embrace Your Inner Child — Columbus Pride Band Spring 2023 Concert | $4,959 |
| Columbus Printed Arts Center | Columbus Art Book Fair | $6,673 |
| Columbus Rings | Columbus Rings Community Concert Series, 2023-24 | $6,120 |
| Education Foundation for Freedom | 2023 Columbus Women&Girls’ Fest | $19,346 |
| eMBer Women’s Theatre, Inc. | eMBer Women’s Theatre 2023 Theatrical Season | $3,800 |
| Evolve Productions, Inc. | “Fluidity” and “Festival of Movement” | $16,967 |
| Harmony Project Productions | Harmony Sessions | $24,000 |
| Joshua Clark | Cycle Breakers | $3,500 |
| KBK Foundation | Culture: Black Fine Art Fair | $15,640 |
| Kingdom Image Arts | Live Performance Series | $9,000 |
| Making A Difference | Soul of Columbus Food and Arts Festival | $2,957 |
| Mansee Singhi | ‘Konnection & ‘Kulture – An evening of performing and visual arts | $4,599 |
| Music at St. Mary Concert Series | Music at St. Mary Concert Series | $15,000 |
| National Audubon Society, Inc. | Art at Audubon | $9,000 |
| Ohioana Library Association | 2023 Ohioana Book Festival | $25,500 |
| Red Herring Productions | New Herring Productions 2023 | $9,500 |
| Short North Alliance, Inc. | 2023 Summer Exhibition Series | $12,220 |
| Short North Foundation | Goodale Park Music Series | $2,879 |
| Somali Cultural Festival | The Somali Heritage Festival 2023 & The Somali Museum Night | $9,913 |
| Summer Jam West, Inc. | Summer Jam West – Tell Your Story | $16,300 |
| The Magpie Consort | Sounds of Summer | $3,200 |
| Thiossane Institute | 2023 Thiossane West African Dance Institute Annual Concert | $10,222 |
TOTAL: $411,300
There is one remaining deadline for Project Support grants in 2023: Aug. 15. For more information about Project Support funding and programs, including guidelines and upcoming deadlines, visit www.gcac.org or contact Kimberly Cole, Grants & Community Engagement Manager, kcole@gcac.org.
Artists interested in learning about GCAC’s programs are encouraged to sign-up for the GCAC Alerts newsletter mailing list. This newsletter is shared with artists twice a month and includes information on grant opportunities and art-specific career opportunities in Columbus, as well as support for artists outside of GCAC. To opt-in, please visit gcac.org/workshops-and-resources/opportunities-for-artists.
Mission of the Greater Columbus Arts Council: To support and advance the arts and cultural fabric of Columbus. www.gcac.org
The Greater Columbus Arts Council receives major financial support from the City of Columbus, Franklin County Commissioners, the Ohio Arts Council and The Ohio State University.
For translations of this release and other pages, please see the dropdown menu at the top right corner of gcac.org.
# # #
CONTACT: Jami Goldstein
(614) 221-8492
jgoldstein@gcac.org
