Today is the official launch of a ground breaking, citywide arts marketing campaign that has been two years in the making.
This new campaign, Art Makes Columbus/Columbus Makes Art, has been led by the Greater Columbus Arts Council with input and support from city leaders, community stakeholders, arts and cultural organizations, artists, and others along the way.
What launched today represents an unprecedented five-year focus on the arts as a key pillar in Columbus’ culture, economy and quality of life. With strong support from Columbus businesses, the philanthropic community, and the public sector this campaign is the largest effort to market the arts in the city’s history.
Tom Katzenmeyer, president of the Greater Columbus Arts Council
At the end of the day, what this campaign represents is two very important things.
First: a powerful collaboration—something for which our community has a singular reputation.
Building the campaign has been a collaboration between us, the Columbus Cultural Leadership Consortium and our sponsors AEP, Cardinal Health, The Columbus Dispatch, The Columbus Foundation and PNC, and our community partners Fahlgren, Griffin Communications, Ologie, and Paul Werth and Associates. We have also relied on extensive input from arts organizations, artists, and the public.
Second: a spotlight on our artists. This campaign is not events focused, it’s people focused. While we hope that this effort leads to more financial support for the arts through ticket sales and arts sales, our goal goes deeper. We want to connect the public with the artists who make our city the vibrant place that it is.
This campaign is an effort to raise up all artists and arts and cultural organizations—from the opera singer to the glass blower and every creative individual in between, and from established theaters to the grassroots galleries and every kind of unique event our cultural organizations present.
This collaborative effort focusing on all kinds of artists and all kinds of cultural organizations is a point of particular pride for me and our work at the Arts Council.
When someone goes to an exhibition or a show I want them to feel like they know the artist whose blood sweat and tears they are about to witness. I want the public to care about the people who make our art as much as they care about the end result—I want them to care as much as I do.
I want this campaign to create a feeling of connection and pride for our city and all that makes it special. The people who create our city’s art have incredible stories. These stories are captivating tales of creation and inspiration. Of successes and challenges. Of passion and purpose. No other city has this collection of people, or this collection of talent.
I hope you will explore those stories for yourself. Visit the website, follow the social media channels, and then tell us how we can do more. Each of you are an important part of this collaboration.
— Tom Katzenmeyer Keep up with Tom’s adventures on Twitter: @tomkatzenmeyer
