OHIO ALLIANCE FOR ARTS EDUCATION ANNOUNCES CHALLENGE GRANT
CAMPAIGN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GREATER COLUMBUS ARTS COUNCIL

The Ohio Alliance for Arts Education (OAAE) announced today a challenge grant campaign in partnership with the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC). Proceeds from the fundraising campaign will support OAAE’s Community Arts Education programs. Every dollar donated to OAAE’s Community Arts Education programs up to a total of $50,000 will be matched one-to-one by the Greater Columbus Arts Council for a total of $100,000.

OAAE’s Community Arts Education programs serve more than 150,000 central Ohio residents each year.  Much of the work involves long-term commitments to urban youth in some of Columbus’ most challenging neighborhoods.  This requires an investment of both public and private resources.  Supporters of arts education are urged to take advantage of this opportunity to double their investment in strengthening these unique and inspiring arts education programs. Donations are tax deductible.

Donations can be made online by clicking here or by sending a check to: OAAE / Community Arts Education, Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts, 77 S. High St., 2nd Floor, Columbus, OH 43215-6108. For more information, contact Tim Katz at 614.221.4680 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

About the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education: The Ohio Alliance for Arts Education is a statewide service organization whose mission is to ensure the arts are an integral part of the education of every Ohioan. Since 1974 the OAAE has provided services and resources that support high quality arts education in-school, out-of-school, and in communities statewide. As a leader in the areas of professional development, building collaborations, and advocacy the OAAE works at the local, state, and federal levels. The OAAE is supported with financial and human resources from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Ohio Arts Council, Ohio Department of Education, Ohio Music Education Association, Ohio Foundation for Music Education, Ohio Art Education Association, OhioDance, Ohio Educational Theatre Association, Greater Columbus Arts Council, Greater Cincinnati Alliance for Arts Education, and its members.

In 2012 the Community Arts Education programs that were a part of the Greater Columbus Arts Council were transferred to the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education, adding to its already extensive portfolio of programs and services. These programs, serving Columbus and Franklin County, center on developing creativity and lifelong learning skills in K-12 youth and adults through programming in schools and outside of school hours.

More about the Community Arts Education Programs:

Artists-in-Schools (AiS)
Since 1976 the Artists-in-Schools program has linked professional artists and arts groups to Franklin County-area K-12 schools; enabling teachers to integrate arts learning with core subjects, such as English, social studies, science and math.  Annually the program books over 500 activities, engaging more than 85 individual artists or arts organizations at approximately 150 public, charter and private school buildings, and serves tens of thousands of K-12 students.

Franklin County Neighborhood Arts Grants Program (FCNA)
The FCNA program, launched in 2004, increases community participation in the arts by providing small grants to local organizations of all kinds for neighborhood projects in all arts disciplines. Three rounds of applications and awards are generated annually.   Public funding for these community projects leverages local contributions at a 1:7 ratio.  In 2010 this program provided $54,000 in grants.

Art in the House, in partnership with TRANSIT ARTS
Modeled after exemplary and award-winning afterschool programs dating back to 1991, the Art in the House and TRANSIT ARTS programs offer free, year round programming to underserved youth in the city’s most challenging neighborhoods through partnerships with the Columbus Federation of Settlements (settlement houses) and dozens of other community organizations.  These programs engage over 1,000 young people, ages 5-21, annually in active learning that helps them develop a sense of personal responsibility, develop skills in creative, constructive action, and boosts self-esteem, confidence, and awareness of community resources.  These programs typically employ two dozen professional teaching artists and also offer youth paid teaching, entrepreneurial, and management apprenticeship opportunities as well as non-paid internships with other arts and cultural businesses and institutions.  The programs prioritize skills development and the prevention of destructive behaviors as opposed to more costly measures of intervention conducted only after destructive behaviors are established.

Professional Development in Arts Integration for K-12 Teachers
The professional development program has long-established collaborations with local performing arts organizations and Columbus City Schools in providing training for K-12 teachers in arts integration. This effort has included BalletMet Columbus and the Jazz Arts Group as primary partners. Based on a model developed by these collaborators, K-12 arts and classroom teachers learn and utilize methods of integrating performing and visual arts using differentiated instruction while adhering to district and state academic content standards in Fine Arts, English Language Arts, and other subject areas.

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Contacts:
Donna Collins, Executive Director
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
614.224.1060

Tim Katz, Director, Community Arts Education
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614.221.4680