Ohio Arts Council

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Ohio Arts Council The Ohio Arts Council (OAC) is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences.

The Ohio Arts Council was created in 1965 to foster and encourage the development of the arts and assist the preservation of Ohio's cultural heritage. With funds from the Ohio Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts, the OAC provides financial assistance to artists and arts organizations. The OAC accomplishes this charge in two primary methods; first, through the various grant funding programs that the Council operates to provide support to artists and to make arts activities available to a broad segment of Ohio's public; and secondly, by providing services that help to enhance the growth of the arts.

FUDNING OPPORTUNITY: Arts Midwest and the National Endowment for the Arts are now accepting application applications for...
10/21/2026

FUDNING OPPORTUNITY: Arts Midwest and the National Endowment for the Arts are now accepting application applications for the 2027-2028 NEA's Big Read.

This year's theme, “Read Like a Champion: Celebrating Great American Sports Stories,” honors the role of sports in American culture. The 18 books in this year's Big Read Library invite communities to explore themes of competition and teamwork, perseverance and resilience, self-discovery and well-being, and the unique ways in which sports bring us together.

Spanning poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and graphic literature—and set everywhere from playing fields to ice rinks, basketball courts to open water, boxing rings to bowling alleys—these books illuminate sports as both a deeply personal pursuit and as a shared collective experience.

Phase 1 Applications (Eligibility Review) Due January 12, 2027
Phase 2 Applications (Full Proposal) Due January 26, 2027

Grant amounts range from $5,000 to $30,000. Explore the program and submit an application at artsmidwest.org/get-support/nea-big-read/

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: The Levitt Family Foundation is now accepting applications for their 2027 Festival Grant program. T...
10/19/2026

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: The Levitt Family Foundation is now accepting applications for their 2027 Festival Grant program. These grants of up to $5,000 support organizations presenting festivals offering free, outdoor performances in public spaces.

The application deadline is November 20. Learn more at levitt.org/festivals/.

10/16/2026

: Sometimes, works of art are intended to last for centuries. Other times, they are meant to only exist for a short period of time. Watch as Ohio artist Andrew Dailey creates a site-specific piece for the OAC Riffe Gallery's now-closed exhibition, "Metamorphosis."

The work, titled "Tree, Past Tense," was drawn over the course of several weeks using graphite. Its creation, along with his other works, was grounded in his close observation of natural forms and those elements which evoke impermanence and transience. The live creation of a new work, destined to eventually be covered up, is an extension of his work which reflects on cycles of growth, fragmentation, and renewal.

OAC WEBINAR SERIES: Join Lynette Shy of Confluence Arts Solutions for "Marketing Triage," a session for organizations wi...
10/14/2026

OAC WEBINAR SERIES: Join Lynette Shy of Confluence Arts Solutions for "Marketing Triage," a session for organizations with limited staff and resources. She'll go over how to prioritize your marketing efforts, where to focus first, and how to make the biggest impact when you can't do everything at once.

Learn more and register for the free Wednesday, October 21, 2 p.m. webinar at oac.ohio.gov/webinars.

For this spooky season edition of , we are visiting the Chardon Cryptids and Curios Festival! Held this year on Saturda...
10/13/2026

For this spooky season edition of , we are visiting the Chardon Cryptids and Curios Festival! Held this year on Saturday, October 17, the festival brings folklore-inspired tricks and treats to Northeast Ohio.

Cryptids are creatures that people claim to have seen, but whose existence has not been proven. They are often characters in folktales and scary stories, like Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and Mothman. The festival’s creator, Jessy Harper, has always been fascinated by folklore, legends, cryptids, and the stories that communities pass down through generations, and she said the festival organizers wanted to create a space where people could celebrate the weird, unusual, and unexplained. The festival also gives local artists, authors, makers, and small businesses a place to share their work while bringing something new and different to Chardon Square.

Visitors will encounter cryptid-themed vendors, oddities, artists, authors, handmade crafts, food trucks, entertainment, and plenty of opportunities to meet some unusual characters along the way. “We also have some fun surprises planned,” Harper said, “so the goal is for people to come curious and leave with a story to tell.”

For Harper, our fascination with the supernatural speaks to fundamental human questions. “I think there’s something really appealing about the unknown. Cryptids and supernatural stories give people a chance to wonder, imagine, and ask 'what if?' They’re also deeply connected to folklore and oral storytelling, which have been part of human culture for thousands of years. Whether someone truly believes in Bigfoot or just loves a good spooky story, there’s a place for everyone in that conversation. I think people are drawn to that sense of mystery and the possibility that there are still things in the world we don’t completely understand.”

Can you see yourself here? Nominate yourself or a colleague to serve as an OAC grant panelist! Panelists play a critical...
10/12/2026

Can you see yourself here? Nominate yourself or a colleague to serve as an OAC grant panelist! Panelists play a critical role in the grant-making work of the OAC, contributing their time and expertise to aid the agency in conducting a fair, transparent, and thoughtful decision-making process for grant awards. They also support the state in its efforts to recognize and reward excellent artists, arts and cultural organizations, and other institutions.

Don't delay! Panelist recruitment is underway. Learn more about being an OAC panelist and submit a nomination at oac.ohio.gov/grant-panelists.

: As we approach Veterans Day on November 11, 2026, and as part of National Arts and Humanities Month, we're shining ou...
10/09/2026

: As we approach Veterans Day on November 11, 2026, and as part of National Arts and Humanities Month, we're shining our spotlight on the Tri-State Military Veterans Museum located in Belmont, Ohio.

Originally named the Belmont County Military Veterans Museum, the Tri-State Military Veterans Museum grew from honoring the county's veterans to honoring all veterans across the United States. The museum was founded by Floyd Simpson and holds an extensive collection of images and military objects. An India black granite Heroes Wall honors more than 4,000 service members from across the country.

Two bronze sculptures, their creation partially supported by OAC grant funding, are installed on either side of the Heroes Wall.

Over this past summer, the museum installed the Fallen Soldier Battlefield Cross, which honors service members killed in action. As part of the installation, the museum held a campaign inviting community members and students to paint rocks from their grounds as part of the 250th anniversary of the country's founding.

On the opposite side of the wall is Vietnam Scout Dog Prince, made by Ohio artist and Army veteran Alan Cottrill. In 1971, Prince saved the lives of his handler, Ed Reeves, and accompanying service members by detecting a mine along their path. He was one of more than 4,000 dogs that saved an estimated 10,000 service member lives.

The ArtsOhio Opportunities Edition is out now! This month, you'll find an invitation to attend the unveiling of the Ohio...
10/08/2026

The ArtsOhio Opportunities Edition is out now! This month, you'll find an invitation to attend the unveiling of the Ohio Women's Monument; a call for nominations for OAC grant panelists; new grants from the Levitt Family Foundation and Arts Midwest; and more!

Read this month's edition at mailchi.mp/oac/artsohio-opportunities-october2026.

In late September, the Ohio Department of Aging inducted eight Ohioans into the agency's Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. A...
10/07/2026

In late September, the Ohio Department of Aging inducted eight Ohioans into the agency's Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. Among them was Padma Chebrolu, a 2025 Governor's Awards for the Arts in Ohio honoree for arts education and a 2021 Ohio Heritage Fellowship recipient.

Join us in congratulating Padma! You can read more about Padma, the 2026 inductees, and the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame at aging.ohio.gov/see-news-and-events/news/hall-of-famers-2026.

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30 E Broad Street, Fl 33rd
Columbus, OH
43215

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Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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