Ohio Arts Council

GRANT OPPORTUNITY: Applications are now being accepted for the OAC’s Capacity Building program. These grants help organizations harness outside expertise to strengthen business practices and add new knowledge. Learn more and start your application at: https://lnkd.in/eQ7YgaZV

On September 28, student artists gathered with their families and teachers to celebrate the recent installation of new artwork for the Ohio House of Representatives High School Student Art Exhibition. The exhibition is a biennial celebration of the arts and education. It features student artwork from each of Ohio’s 99 House of Representatives districts. Work is displayed in the tunnel connecting the Statehouse garage and Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts. Enjoy a selection of images from the open house reception as this week’s #FeaturedFriday. You can see the exhibition for yourself Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Make sure to stop by on your next visit to the OAC’s Riffe Gallery!

STUDENT OPPORTUNITY: The Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT), is now accepting submissions for its 2024-25 program! Throughout the fall, interested students can participate in free online writing workshops ahead of the first draft deadline. All students who submit a song will receive constructive feedback from industry professionals. Ahead of the second draft deadline, students who submitted a first draft will have the opportunity to participate in additional educational programs. Selected writers/writing teams will be invited to New York City to work with mentors and participate in a concert featuring the winning compositions. To learn more, and to submit a song by the January 31, 2025, deadline, visit namt.org/challenge/. Photos by Rebecca J. Michelson

GRANT OPPORTUNITY: Only a few days remain to apply for this cycle of Legends and Lore? grants—a program of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation! Don’t miss this opportunity to share and commemorate your community’s folklore. Applications are due Monday, October 14. Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/eUKxxHt

STUDENT OPPORTUNITY: The Kennedy Center is now accepting applications for its Playwright Discovery Program, a program of Access/VSA International Network initiative. High school students with disabilities—working individually or in a team of two—can submit a short, 10-minute script based on their own experiences and observations. Those selected to participate will receive a $1,000 award and will engage in professional development opportunities with the Kennedy Center, work on their scripts with industry professionals, and more. Learn more and apply by the January 8, 2025, deadline at: https://lnkd.in/ersKa4g5. Image courtesy of the Kennedy Center

STUDENT OPPORTUNITY: The Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Division of Parks & Watercraft is in need of a mascot that represents their Natural Resources Officers! The contest is open to Ohio students in grades four through 12. The deadline to submit your work is November 12. Learn more at: ohiodnr.gov/mascotcontest.

#FeaturedFriday: Earlier this year, Todd Goings was announced as a recipient of a 2024 NEA National Heritage Fellowship. The award is presented by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which hosted all of the fellows in Washington, D.C., for a special celebration on September 17 and 18, 2024. Enjoy a selection of images from the two-day event honoring Goings and the nine other fellows. Image 1: 2024 NEA National Heritage Fellow Todd Goings receives a medal during a ceremony at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., on September 18, 2024. He is joined on stage by NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson (left) and NEA Folk & Traditional Arts Lead Erin Waylor (right). Image 2: Todd Goings at Glen Echo Park’s Dentzel Carousel, of which he is the caretaker. Image 3: Todd Goings accepting his award at the Library of Congress. Image 4: Todd Goings at a screening of documentary films exploring the work and life of each fellow. Image 5: Todd Goings with the other fellows. Image 6: Still from Todd Goings’ documentary film, which can be watched on the NEA’s YouTube channel. Images courtesy of the National Endowment for the Arts. Photos by Tom Pich and Erik Ljung

Last week, the National Endowment for the Arts in collaboration with South Arts announced the recipients of their inaugural ArtsHERE grant program. In Ohio, Healing Broken Circles and Marion Voices Folklife + Oral History each received a $130,000 grant to support programming aimed at increasing access to the arts in their communities. Learn more and read the full announcement at: https://lnkd.in/gXkgDUpk.

Fall festival season is upon us, and for October’s #TraditionsTuesday we are highlighting some traditional fall festivals throughout Ohio! The Hueston Woods Apple Butter Festival in Butler County and the Roscoe Village Apple Butter Stirrin’ Festival in Coshocton County are just two of the many Ohio festivals that sustain the delicious tradition of making apple butter. Traditional apple butter is made in a large copper kettle over a fire with a long wooden stirring paddle. It requires a lot of peeled apples and a spice mix that varies according to family recipes and the tastes of the cooks. It takes many hours of constant stirring to make apple butter, so it often becomes a communal activity where people can take turns stirring and keeping each other company. The Hueston Woods Apple Butter Festival is hosted annually by the Oxford Museum Association. The festival was started in 1965 as a way to raise funds for the Museum Association’s preservation and educational outreach goals. Today, the group uses the same recipe they did at that first festival, though Director Michael Case said the origin of that recipe is unknown to him. Festival visitors can sample apple butter being made onsite using traditional methods, or purchase jarred apple butter using the same recipe, but made and packaged in a professional kitchen. The Apple Butter Stirrin' Festival in Historic Roscoe Village celebrates the tradition of making apple butter in the heart of Ohio's Appalachian Country. Held in the 1830s canal town of Roscoe Village, the festival dates back to 1971 and also features live demonstrations of apple butter being made in large copper kettles over open fires. The festival attracts people of all ages, who come to enjoy the beautiful fall scenery, sample the apple butter, and immerse themselves in the history and charm of Roscoe Village. At both festivals, visitors can shop artisan booths and learn about traditional crafts, listen to bluegrass, eat tasty food, and tour the historic properties. The Hueston Woods Apple Butter Festival is October 5-6 at the Hueston Woods Pioneer Farm, and the Apple Butter Stirrin’ Festival is October 18-20 at Historic Roscoe Village.

Today, we're thrilled to share that Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has reappointed Rita Mansour of Toledo (left), Adam Shank of Powell (middle), and William B. White (right) of Marietta to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC) board! Read the full announcement at: https://lnkd.in/epXGyD9z