For this issue, we spoke with local artist, Samantha Bennett. It was in a hospital room as a child where Samantha began to create art. At nine months old, Bennett survived bacterial meningitis. The physical impact of the disease is apparent as her skin is scarred; she had fingers, toes and…
Like many, I pause during the holiday season to consider all that I have to be grateful for. As I looked back on 2021, I realized that—despite a slow and uneven recovery from the pandemic—there is plenty to celebrate in the Columbus arts community. Today I’d like to take a…
The team at the Greater Columbus Arts Council is ending the year by joining Let’s Talk About Race: One Book, One Community, a citywide book club, to read STAMPED: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. When I first heard about this initiative, I immediately…
Are you registered to vote? Is your circle of friends and family registered to vote? Have you started making a voting plan? These are questions I find myself asking everyone I come into contact with these days. It’s important. Tom Katzenmeyer, president & CEO of the Greater…
April 2, 2020 Dear Columbus Community The decision we share with you today is one of the single most difficult and heartbreaking we’ve ever had to make at the Greater Columbus Arts Council. Early this morning the Arts Council board of trustees voted to cancel the 2020 Columbus Arts Festival,…
I continue to be inspired by the cultural fabric of our community. Every city strives to attract businesses, new residents, and visitors of all ages to their city. How we do that in Columbus is the secret in the sauce. In Columbus we have incredibly talented artists and world-class arts…
3/16/17 President Trump released his budget today. As feared, and despite the best efforts of organizations like Americans for the Arts, the budget eliminates funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This is the first time a…
It is not unusual for a year to be full of both endings and beginnings. This year, however, the feeling of transition—of wrapping up old projects and embarking on new directions—seemed particularly poignant. Tom Katzenmeyer, CEO, president of the Arts Council A few weeks ago we celebrated the book launch…
Jan. 31 was Inspire Your Heart with Art Day and what has been on my mind for more than a week now is the poem The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman. Tom Katzenmeyer, CEO, president of the Arts Council On Jan. 20 we welcomed a new…
We came into 2020 full of hope, energy and vision. We had fought and won to get additional arts funding, and we developed a host of new programs that we were excited to roll out. Life is what happens while you are making other plans. Tom…
Yesterday Gov. DeWine announced the timeline for the first business re-openings in Ohio. Sadly arts venues were not among them, but we expected that. And while retail will be allowed to reopen on May 12, restaurants and bars remain closed without a projected reopen date, a hardship on many creatives…
March 23, 2020 We are in uncharted territory. Each day brings us new and frightening statistics about the virus amongst us and leaves us with more questions than answers. I, like so many, feel anxious, frustrated, and yes, at times, afraid. There is so much that I cannot control. I…
