Ohio Arts Council to Visit Kent and Cleveland for Listening Tour
by Jaclyn Reynolds
The Ohio Arts Council (OAC) is hitting the road again this fall to find out what Ohioans value about their communities, creativity and the arts. The OAC’s Listening Tour will travel to seven more communities this fall and winter discovering what creativity means to elected officials, arts professionals and citizens in large and small communities across the state. Northeast Ohio will be the next stop with a visit to Kent November 5 and Cleveland November 6, 2009.
“We have seen dramatic changes in the economic environment in the past year. These changes have had a profound impact on the citizens of Ohio and the arts and cultural organizations that serve them,” said OAC Executive Director Julie Henahan. “We want to hear what role Ohio’s citizens think the arts and creativity should play in their community. What we learn during this tour will help us re-envision the OAC’s role in serving Ohioans.” A small group of staff from the OAC will lead three meetings in each town to discuss what citizens feel makes their community vital and what their aspirations are for the future. During the morning meeting OAC staff members will have a conversation with elected officials and business and community leaders; the afternoon meeting will be held with members of the arts community and educators; and the evening town hall will bring people from all backgrounds together to discuss the arts and its impact in their community. The findings from the first half of the Listening Tour last fall helped illuminate the impressive accomplishments, driving aspirations and daily struggles of communities around the state. The meetings also provided an opportunity for Ohioans to share the role they believed the arts, creatvitity and imagination play in their community as they pursue a wide range of economic development strategies to attract and retain news business, especially knowledge-based industries. Information gathered from this tour will provide the OAC with a better understanding of a broad range of Ohioans’ needs and assist the agency in developing the 2010-2013 Strategic Plan and the State of the Arts Report II. Other cities in the 2009-2010 Listening Tour include Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Mansfield and Wapakoneta. Register for the Kent and Cleveland meetings online at www.oac.state.oh.us. Meeting locations, addresses, parking information and discussion questions are available on the Web site. The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically. OAC Listening Tour - Kent THURSDAY, November 5, 2009 8:30-10 a.m. For Business and Community Leaders Helen W. Dix Building Burbick Community Room 3:30-5 p.m. For Artists, Arts Administrators & Arts Educators Kent State University Museum Murphy Auditiorium 6-7:30 p.m. Town Hall meeting—ALL ARE WELCOME! Kent Free Library Meeting Room OAC Listening Tour - Cleveland FRIDAY, November 6, 2009 8:30-10 a.m. For Business and Community Leaders Positively Cleveland Richard Shatten Boardroom 3:30-5 p.m. For Artists, Arts Administrators & Arts Educators Hanna Theatre PlayhouseSquare 6-7:30 p.m. Town Hall meeting—ALL ARE WELCOME! Trinity Cathedral Cathedral Hall Please register for one or all meetings at www.oac.state.oh.us. For more details about the upcoming 2009-2010 Tour and the information gathered during the Fall 2008 portion of the Listening Tour please visit our Listening Tour page.[top]