In the past year the Ohio Arts Council has changed the way it does business - with new guidelines, forms, funding criteria and funding processes. To explain how these new recipes have changed OAC funding for arts organizations, the OAC is sponsoring a series of workshops around the state.

The two-day meetings will feature training and discussions about mandatory planning, evaluation and requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Presenters include Wayne Lawson, Ohio Arts Council executive director; Louise Stevens, president and founder of ArtsMarket Consulting in Bozeman, Montana, and an expert in strategic and public policy planning; and Diane Earlson, an independent arts consultant from Mansfield who has provided technical assistance to organizations throughout Ohio.

On the first day of each workshop Lawson and staff will discuss changes in OAC programs, followed by a question and answer session. In the afternoon, a panel of experts will explain how to conduct a comprehensive accessibility assessment, help design an ADA compliance plan and find ADA resources. The second day will feature concurrent sessions, one about the basics of planning and evaluation and one offering instruction in advanced planning and evaluation techniques.

Regional workshops will take place in Toledo, October 20-21; Cleveland, October 21-22; Columbus, October 22-23; Dayton, November 3-4; Cincinnati, November 4-5; and Athens, November 5-6.

For more information about the workshops contact Melissa Donovan, 614/466-2613. For registration materials and information contact Katie Popoff, 614/466-2613. For TTY/TDD use Ohio Relay Service 1-800/750-0750.



The Ohio Arts Council presented awards to four artists in crafts, visual arts, photography and new genre at the opening of the Fine Arts Exhibition at the Ohio State Fair on August 7. The Fine Arts Exhibition at the fair presents works by amateur and professional Ohio artists.

In a ceremony led by Governor George V. Voinovich, each of the winners was given a check for $500. Winners pictured left to right include Jodi Miller, a publications photographer at The Ohio State University; Anne Hubler, of Dayton; and Pia Deinhardt of Columbus. Not pictured is Lisa Eastman, a resident of Chagrin Valley.