About the Agency

March 24, 2023 | Agency MISSION The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. VISION Providing leadership and voice for the arts to transform people and communities. HISTORY The Ohio Arts Council was created in 1965 to foster and encourage the development of the arts and assist the preservation of Ohio's cultural heritage. With funds from the Ohio Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts, the OAC provides financial assistance to artists and arts organizations. The Council accomplishes this charge in two primary methods; first, through the various grant funding programs that the Council operates to provide support to artists and to make arts activities available to a broad segment of Ohio's public; and secondly, by providing services that help to enhance the growth of the arts. GRANTS OVERVIEW Discover the types of funding we offer. STRATEGIC PLAN The Ohio Arts Council's Essentials Plan is a strategic plan for the coming months. It lays out a way forward for the agency through four pillars: INVEST, ENGAGE, INNOVATE, and LEAD, which guide program prioritization and resource deployment. The Essentials Plan positions the OAC to remain relevant, responsive, and nimble as the state’s artists and arts organizations face new and unexpected challenges to their stability, resiliency, and resolve. STATEWIDE FIELD SURVEY Last conducted in FY 2023-2024, the Ohio Arts Council's Field Survey reflects the cultural and artistic resources and needs of the state. Taken together with other assessment tools, ongoing discussions with grantees and authorizers, and other sources of state, regional, and national data, the survey helps the agency understand the best way forward. Its findings inform the OAC's public investments in the arts and the priorities of Ohio's residents. ANNUAL REPORT Released in December 2024, the Ohio Arts Council's FY 2024 Annual Report reflects the shared success of government and its citizens to come together to fund and support quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Alongside our constituents and authorizers, this report celebrates and demonstrates the agency's historic statewide arts engagement, serving Ohioans in all 88 counties. Share this odx-more-information Board & Meeting Minutes Learn about the agency’s board and its minutes. Policies Read our policies on privacy, public records, and more. Accessibility View our accessibility policy and resources.