Ohio Arts Council Budget Reduced 47 Percent
by Jaclyn Reynolds
Governor Ted Strickland’s approval of the state budget on July 17 set the final biennium budget appropriation for the Ohio Arts Council (OAC) at only $13,188,578 for fiscal years 2010 and 2011. Out of all state of Ohio agencies, the OAC received one of the largest percentage reductions for the biennium. This new funding represents a 38 percent reduction from the final 2008/2009 appropriation of $21.3 million and a 47 percent reduction from the original 2008/2009 appropriation of $24.9 million.
The $13.2 million figure, the amount recommended to the Conference Committee by the Governor in June, is a huge decrease from the original Executive recommendation of $18.8 million the Governor proposed in February. The result is an agency budget that is reduced to 1984/1985 levels. "Ohio’s cultural sector is critically important to the economic recovery of our state. The OAC will continue to do its best to help support the arts and cultural organizations that are reeling from the effects of the economic downturn,” said OAC Executive Director Julie Henahan. “Even at this dramatically reduced level, OAC funding will help maintain jobs, support education programs and drive tourism in Ohio.” This reduction will have a significant impact on FY2010/2011 grant amounts but actual percentage reductions will vary by program and some programs will be put on hiatus. At this funding level the Ohio Arts Council’s ability to provide services to the field and financial assistance to artists, arts organizations, schools and other entities engaged in cultural programming is severely limited. The OAC’s Board is scheduled to meet in August in Columbus to determine biennial spending plans for its core grant programs to nonprofit cultural organizations, communities, schools, and artists. The Board also will consider agency restructuring. The date of the open meeting will be publicized via press release and published on the agency’s Web site: www.oac.state.oh.us. The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.[top]