Ohio Arts Organizations Host Eastern European Artists and Arts Managers
by Jami Goldstein
The Ohio Arts Council’s International Program has announced the participants and host organizations for its ArtsLink/OAC Residency Program from October 10-November 19. The program offers funding to Ohio arts organizations to develop residencies with arts managers and artists from Eastern and Central European countries. Ohio host organizations include the Ohio State University’s Department of Dance, the Ohio State University’s Department of Theatre, and Playhouse Square. A total of 15 U.S. arts organizations received awards through the National ArtsLink Residencies Program to host artists and arts managers from Central Europe, Russia and Eurasia for five weeks this fall.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for the Ohio Arts Council, the other participating organizations, artists and arts managers to gain new perspectives on each others culture and artistic methods,” said Wayne Lawson, executive director of the Ohio Arts Council. “These artists and arts managers offer a wealth of creativity and insight for Ohio’s arts community.”
Alexandru Berceanu, a translator and theater director living in Bucharest, will be hosted by The Ohio State University’s Department of Theatre, Columbus. In 2004, Berceanu was awarded the Romanian National Prize for Best Young Director, by the Romanian Ministry of Culture. He will meet with contemporary authors and directors, and learn about new lighting design technologies.
Olga Zitluhina, from Latvia, will be in residence at The Ohio State University’s Department of Dance, Columbus. Zitluhina is a choreographer, dancer and head of the Dance Department at the Latvian Academy of Culture in Riga. Her current production, Hidden Title – LOVE, explores the obsessions of love. She will explore specific dance techniques to share with her students in Riga.
The Playhouse Square Center in Cleveland will host Dagmara Gumkowska, Events Organizer for the Bytom Center of Culture in Silesia, Poland. Gumkowska books performances and events, and is a coordinator for the annual Theatromania festival. She will observe community arts projects which connect with underserved populations.
The goal of the residencies is to create opportunities for artists and arts managers to exchange ideas, perspectives and techniques with host institutions and expand dialogue among artists. Many of the participants will have opportunities to work with equipment and technology not available in their home countries. Residencies can greatly enrich the programs of American arts organizations and strengthen their ties to other arts organizations and civic groups in their communities.
Major funding for the Ohio ArtsLink program is provided by the Kettering Fund. ArtsLink is a public-private partnership of CEC International Partners, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Trust for Mutual Understanding and the Ohio Arts Council with additional funding from the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Kettering Family Foundation, Jane Lombard and the Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation. ArtsLink is managed by CEC International Partners.
The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.
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