COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Greater Columbus Arts Council Board of Trustees today approved 27 grants totaling $2,067,320 in the areas of Operating Support and Project Support, which GCAC administers on behalf of the City of Columbus.
GCAC’s spring allocation of grants will be as follows:
Operating Support: GCAC received 21 Operating Support applications. Under the grants guidelines, any nonprofit arts organization of any budget size that meets the eligibility criteria can qualify for unrestricted Operating Support funding. Applicants must demonstrate exemplary artistic achievement and significant impact on the city’s economy and tourism. GCAC awarded just under $2 million in Operating Support grants to the following 20 organizations:
Organization / Grant Amount
Actors’ Theatre of Columbus / $14,033
BalletMet Columbus / $246,586
CAPA / $208,086
CATCO / $75,911
Chamber Music Columbus / $14,015
CityMusic / $9,180
Columbus Children’s Theatre / $51,268
Columbus Museum of Art / $239,586
Columbus Symphony Orchestra / $152,086
COSI Columbus / $218,586
Friends of Early Music / $5,984
Jazz Arts Group / $146,982
King Arts Complex / $92,281
MadLab Theatre / $9,758
Ohio Art League / $11,211
Ohio Designer Craftsmen / $57,419
Opera Columbus / $107,299
ProMusica Chamber Orchestra / $74,275
Thurber House / $36,366
Wexner Center for the Arts / $229,086
TOTAL: $1,999,998
Project Support: GCAC received 17 Project Support applications. Project Support grants provide funding for specific activities that are distinguishable from the organization’s ongoing operations and programming. GCAC awarded $67,320 in Project Support grants to the following seven organizations:
Organization / Grant Amount
Carpe Diem String Quartet / $8,340
Columbus College of Art and Design / $24,000
Columbus Dance Theatre / $3,400
Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus / $6,000
Film Council of Greater Columbus / $2,680
Friends of the Conservatory / $21,000
Jefferson Academy of Music / $1,900
TOTAL: $67,320
For more information on GCAC community funding, including guidelines and upcoming deadlines, go to gcac.org.
GCAC also announced further reductions to its budget, including further cuts to administrative costs and grant dollars for the remainder of the year. Reductions are due to a continued anticipated shortage in the hotel/motel tax for the City of Columbus, which last year provided $3.5 million to GCAC, or just over 70 percent of the organization’s total revenue of $4.9 million. This year, GCAC anticipates a maximum of $3.29 million from the tax, down from the original city estimate of $3.9 million.
“Our goal is to be as lean as we can with our administrative budget to minimize the affect felt by organizations we fund,” said Bryan W. Knicely, GCAC President.
GCAC will reduce its administrative budget by approximately $50,000 on top of more than $140,000 in cuts made earlier this year. Administrative cuts will include furlough days for all staff members and a hiring freeze through August for the outstanding Grants & Services Director position. Additionally, GCAC will cut its fall Project Support grants, which last year provided $160,282 to 17 organizations. Earlier this year, GCAC reduced its grants budget by a total of $387,000. Community funding accounts for at least 75 percent of GCAC’s $4.6 million 2009 budget, and administrative costs account for 25 percent.
About the Greater Columbus Arts Council: Through vision and leadership, advocacy and collaboration, the Greater Columbus Arts Council supports art and advances the culture of the region. A catalyst for excellence and innovation, we fund exemplary artists and arts organizations and provide programs, events and services of public value that educate and engage all audiences in our community. GCAC thanks the City of Columbus, Franklin County, the Ohio Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts for their continued support.
