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Celebrate National Arts & Humanities Month in October with activities at the Ohio Statehouse and throughout the Buckeye State
by Jaclyn Reynolds
 The Ohio Arts Council joins hundreds of arts organizations and communities around the nation in celebrating National Arts & Humanities Month (NAHM) in October. NAHM has been celebrated since 1993 and provides a great opportunity for people to participate in the arts offered in their communities.
“National Arts and Humanities Month is a terrific way to celebrate and explore the arts in Ohio,” said OAC Executive Director Julie Henahan. “This year we are pleased to be partnering with the Ohio Statehouse to offer free performances and exhibitions at the Statehouse throughout October.”
On October 6, National Arts & Humanities Month will kick off with a performance by the students of Jazz Arts Group Youth Jazz Program on the Statehouse West Plaza from noon-1 p.m. Rain location will be inside the Riffe Center in Capitol Theatre lobby, 3rd Floor.
On October 15, First Lady Frances Strickland will read one of her favorite books to the students of Wooster Heights Elementary from Mansfield in the Statehouse Crypt from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.
On October 23, dancers from Swing Columbus, Hathaway Brown’s Dance Program and Ft. Hayes Dance Ensemble will perform from noon- 1 p.m. on the Statehouse West Plaza for 10-15 minutes each. Rain location will be inside the Capitol Atrium.
SwingColumbus performs high energy routines and improvised choreography based on the music and dance styles of the swing era (1920s-1940s). Hathaway Brown will perform part of a collaborative piece they created with OSU choreographer Lily Skove and dance their way across the steps of the Ohio Statehouse. Ft. Hayes will perform a dance based on a student's poem about empowering change.
For visual art lovers, The Legacy of the Ohio State University Ceramics Department will be on view at the Statehouse until February 10, 2010. OSU has the oldest ceramics engineering department in the country, established in 1895 and one of the oldest ceramic art departments, established in 1928.
OSU ceramic graduates have been influential in the establishment and success of commercial potteries in the East Liverpool, Sebring, Cincinnati, and Zanesville, Ohio areas. The nine pieces on display were created between 1906-1962 and are on loan from the Columbus Museum of Art.
In addition, a portion of the Accessible Expressions Ohio 2009 Exhibition & Tour, a program of VSA arts of Ohio, will be on display at the Statehouse October 5-30. The statewide tour of this juried visual art program is an opportunity for artists of all ages to demonstrate their abilities and promotes inclusive environments and advancement for people pursuing creative careers.
A visit to the Statehouse is also a good time to explore the People’s Art Collection. The artwork in the collection at the Statehouse depicts the hopes, dreams, values and aspirations of Ohioans - and commemorates Ohio’s accomplishments and struggles. With the support of the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education and the Ohio Arts Council the People's Art Collection created integrated lessons about the works of art found within the Ohio Statehouse and on Capitol Square.These resources are available for parents and teachers on the Statehouse Web site at: www.ohiochannel.org/your_state/ohio_statehouse/education/peoples_art_collection.cfm.
The Statehouse is just one place where Ohio citizens can discover and explore the arts in the Buckeye state during National Arts & Humanities Month and year round. Citizens can visit www.ArtsinOhio.com to find out what’s happening in their community. ArtsinOhio.com denotes activities during October by featuring the NAHM logo with the event.
The Ohio Arts Council is encouraging arts organizations to schedule events in coordination with NAHM and also use ArtsinOhio.com to promote them. Organizations can register online for free and post their events to the Web site.
Ohio National Arts & Humanities Month events are organized with support from the Ohio Statehouse, Jazz Arts Group, OhioDance, Columbus Museum of Art and VSA arts of Ohio.
National Arts & Humanities Month is coordinated by Americans for the Arts, the national organization working to empower communities with the resources and support necessary to provide access to all of the arts for all of the people.
For more information or for suggestions of ways to celebrate the arts, visit the OAC Web site at 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.
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