Ohio Arts Council

In Toledo, a local DJ builds community through curating musical moods wherever he spins. His name is Todd Perrine—AKA DJ Sandman. Since 2005, he’s hosted “Old School Fridays” in downtown Toledo at Wesley’s Bar and Grill. It’s since become one of the area's most popular nighttime events, attracting 200 to 300 people each week.

Find the full story—part of Arts Midwest’s Midwest Maker series—by filmmaker Franki Jaye and contributing writer Lydia Moran, at artsmidwest.org/stories/meet-todd-perrine-the-dj-helping-to-sustain-toledo-nightlife/.

Meet Todd Perrine, the DJ Helping to Sustain Toledo Nightlife For Todd Perrine, being a good DJ is as much about the community you bring together as it is the music you play.

Kick off the week with some flamenco dance! Today, we’re excited to highlight Ohio Teaching Artist Roster member Griset Damas Roche. On September 14, she helped the Columbus Spanish Immersion Academy (CSIA) kick off the school's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Awareness Month.

Enjoy a selection of images from the event, which kicks off her 20-week TeachArtsOhio-funded residency, courtesy of OAC staff member Jodi Kushins.

It’s , and this week we’re shining our spotlight on No Surf House. Located in Cleveland’s West Boulevard neighborhood, the organization was founded by in 2023 by Hudson, Ohio, natives Jason D. “Diesel” Hamad (image 1), Alan B. Pendergrass (image 2), and Jane H. McMullen (image 3).

No Surf House currently provides free or subsidized housing to support touring musicians through its Home on the Road Program. Hamad—who is the organization’s board president and executive director—got the idea for No Surf House while covering the local music scene as a journalist. He’d often hear stories about how difficult it was for musicians to find safe, affordable housing while on tour.

Shortly after the home was purchased in 2023 thanks to a donation from Pendergrass, the first two floors of the 3,000 square foot duplex were renovated. They began accepting their first guests in May 2024.

Plans are currently underway to renovate the home’s third floor and add air-conditioning. This will open up four additional guest rooms alongside the four currently available. It will also allow the organization to implement their next program— Career Kickstart. Through this program, No Surf House plans to offer low-cost housing to local artists just getting their starts.

Hamad credits the Ohio Arts Professionals Network (OAPN)—a current OAC Statewide Arts Service Organization—with helping him build statewide connections to support the work of No Surf House. This includes networking events and plans to attend OAPN’s conference later this month.

Enjoy a selection of images, courtesy of No Surf House, showcasing the guest rooms and some recent guests. Learn more about the organization at www.nosurfhouse.org.

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY: Applications for the current round of the Appalachian Foodways Practitioner Fellowship are now open! The program honors, celebrates, and supports foodway tradition bearers who reside in an Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) designated county.

The fellowship includes a $5,000 award. Fellows will also receive support of up to $2,000 to attend the 2025 Appalachian Studies Association Conference, where they will receive their award and participate in a panel session about their work.

This year, applicants from Ohio will receive priority consideration. Learn more and apply by the October 17 deadline at growappalachia.berea.edu/appalachian-foodways-fellowship-program/.

The program is a partnership between Grow Appalachia, the Appalachian Studies Association, and Mid Atlantic Arts’ Central Appalachia Living Traditions.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Rural communities of less than 25,000 residents can now apply for Forecast’s Midwest Memory Grant program! The program provides $100,000 in funding for communities wishing to elevate and preserve diverse stories through monuments and memorials.

The deadline to apply is October 1, 2024. Learn more at forecastpublicart.org/midwest-memory/.

Join the National Endowment for the Arts Office of Accessibility for a Disability Arts Listening Session on September 30. The NEA is seeking input from artists and other cultural workers with disabilities on what they need to create, learn, and perform in a safe, healthy, and productive environment.

Register for this event, which runs from 3:30 to 5 p.m., at rebrand.ly/NEA-Listening-Session.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Arts Midwest is now accepting applications for their Cultural Sustainability: Equity-Based Operating Grants. General operating support grants of up to $67,000 are available for small arts and culture organizations that are rooted in communities of color.

Learn more about this grant program at artsmidwest.org/about/updates/announcing-cultural-sustainability-equity-based-operating-grants/.

This grant is a pilot program offered by the six U.S. Regional Arts Organizations (USRAOs)—including Arts Midwest—in partnership with The Wallace Foundation.

Image courtesy of Arts Midwest.

It’s and the final day of National Arts in Education Week! Today, we’re showcasing how the arts offer a great pathway for kids to learn about and experience nature.

At the West Side Montessori School in Perrysburg, kids ranging from ages 13 months to six years old have been working with artist Jordan Buschur to learn about the region’s Oak Openings in cooperation with the school's Outdoor Education curriculum.

One of the most unique ecosystems in the world, Oak Openings alternates between wetlands and vegetated dunes. This offers a highly diverse habitat for a wide range of plants and animals. Due to this biodiversity, it also provides an excellent opportunity for kids to learn about Visual Thinking Strategies.

Over the course of the 30-day residency, students were asked to create visually-based responses to the ecosystem using a combination of imagination and their observations, memories, and experiences of the area.

The impacts of the residency—funded by an OAC TeachArtsOhio grant—include significant increases in the students’ ability to name local species. Children also increased their visual literacy, with improved skills in reducing objects down to more basic shapes. Most students were also now better able to name materials as well as discuss ideas and stories.

Learn more about TeachArtsOhio grants at oac.ohio.gov/tao. Applications for this program, as well as Arts Partnership, will open on or around November 1, 2024.

Images courtesy of West Side Montessori.

Poetry Out Loud (POL) turns 20 this school year, and we’re excited to continue celebrating National Arts in Education Week by highlighting this national program!

Recently, we had a chance to catch up with Adam Remnant, who coordinates the program for Ohio's Southeast region. He’s also the assistant director of arts education at Stuart's Opera House, our regional partner for POL in the region.

Read on for Adam's thoughts on what POL means to the staff at Stuart’s, how the program impacts Southeast Ohio's students, and how teachers benefit from bringing the program to their classrooms.

OAC: What excites you and the staff at Stuart's to continue coordinating Poetry Out Loud for the region?

Adam Remnant: The students are the reason we continue to coordinate Poetry Out Loud for the Southeast region of Ohio. Every year we get to meet such talented and brave students who gather the courage to recite poetry in front of an audience. They demonstrate an ability to not only understand the poems they select but to translate the message of each poem into their dynamic performances.

OAC: What impact have you seen on students through their participation in the program?

AR: The greatest impact I’ve witnessed is to see students gain confidence and self-esteem by proving to themselves that they can do something challenging. For some of the students, this is the first time they are performing in front of a public audience. It’s remarkable to see their faces beaming with pride after their performances.

OAC: How do teachers in the region benefit from their involvement in Poetry Out Loud?

AR: Teachers gain a dynamic way for students to engage with literature and multiple literary concepts. Through the process of memorization and recitation, students gain a deep appreciation of the poems and discover the magic of poetry. Additionally, teachers are providing an excellent opportunity for their students to gain a unique experience that boosts their knowledge, skills, and confidence.

Interested in bringing Poetry Out Loud to your classroom or organization? Learn more about the program at oac.ohio.gov/pol. The deadline to register is November 1, 2024!

Images are courtesy of Stuart’s Opera House.

As we continue to celebrate National Arts in Education Week, today’s story brings us to Northeast Ohio and the Natividad Pagan International Newcomers Academy. Part of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, the academy helps students who have just arrived from other countries and Puerto Rico adjust to their new surroundings and provides comprehensive English as a Second Language courses.

Since the 2020-2021 school year, the academy has received an OAC TeachArtsOhio grant to engage Ohio Teaching Artist Roster member Sheela Das for several long-term residencies. Das uses a multidisciplinary approach to teach the schools’ core curriculum through the arts. Activities have included creating plays, songs, puppetry, music performances, videos, and more.

During the most recent residency, the program served 530 students in Pre-K through 9th grade. Additionally, they launched a pilot initiative for 9th graders, titled “Songs of the Industrial Revolution,” focused on teaching American history.

The residency will continue throughout the 2024-2025 school year. Learn about Das, founder of Creative Concepts in Music, and more about this project at www.creativeconceptsinmusic.com/.

Image: A behind-the-scenes look at filming for one of the shadow puppet tapings. Courtesy of Sheela Das.

As National Arts in Education Week continues, we’re thrilled to highlight PROJECT38, an initiative of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (CSC). The program aims to partner with up to 38 schools in Cincinnati to explore one of Shakespeare’s 38 plays with a teaching artist.

The 2023-2024 school year marked the program’s tenth anniversary. Participants this year included elementary, middle, high, and Montessori school students. CSC also partnered with the Boys and Girls Club and Cincinnati Ohio Technology Academy (COTA) to bring PROJECT38 to these organizations.

With students at COTA, which serves teens who are underserved and teen parents, CSC worked with participants to create letters to their parents from the perspective of either Romeo or Juliet.

In April, CSC hosted the culminating PROJECT38 Festival, which included more than 400 students from 21 schools. Alongside traditional performances, students also presented special projects, such as incorporating puppets into some performances, presenting a gallery walk inspired by “A Winter’s Tale,” and staging “Twelfth Night” as a musical.

Since 2016, PROJECT38 has been partially funded by an OAC Arts Partnership grant. Learn more about Arts Partnership grants at oac.ohio.gov/arts-partnership.

Images from the 2024 PROJECT38 Festival courtesy of CSC.

National Arts in Education Week has officially begun! Today, we’re showcasing a recently completed TeachArtsOhio-funded artist residency between Marion Voices and Marion St. Mary Schools.

Marion Voices Folklife + Oral History was founded in 2017 by Johnnie Jackson and Jess Lamar Reece Holler. Its work focuses on exploring and amplifying the rich cultural heritage of Marion County.

Through the organization’s recent Marion Voices in the Schools Oral History Residency, eight teaching artists worked with St. Mary's students for 120 days during the 2023-2024 school year. Teaching artists worked with teachers and students in all classrooms, from pre-K through eighth grade.

Students were able to learn about and engage with a wide range of traditional folk arts while working with teaching artists living in or originally from Marion County. Units included explorations of verbal arts and music, material culture, customary traditions, and documentary arts. Their work culminated in the Marion St. Mary Arts Festival, where students were able to learn about the curatorial process and showcase their projects.

The residency continues this school year, building on the first two years of collaboration between the Marion Voices and Marion St. Mary. Enjoy a selection of images from the most recent residency, courtesy of the organization and Jess Lamar Reece Holler.

As the week continues, celebrate with us by sharing your current arts education projects and initiatives! Tag us on Instagram and on Facebook.

Learn more about TeachArtsOhio grants at oac.ohio.gov/tao.

Tomorrow marks the start of National Arts in Education Week! Running September 9-13, 2024, we’re excited to celebrate the impact of arts education alongside teachers, teaching artists, parents, students, and communities across the Buckeye State and beyond.

We’re kicking off the five-day celebration a day early, highlighting the work of WYSO Public Radio in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and the organization’s Dayton Youth Radio program. The program has been partially funded by an OAC Arts Partnership grant since 2018.

Since the program’s inception, WYSO has partnered with high schools across the region to teach students the fundamentals of broadcasting. Some years have focused on the production of radio documentaries, while others have focused on storytelling through podcasting and digital content production.

Through the program, all participating students have had the opportunity to gain real-world experience by pitching stories, interviewing, and recording their segments. Many have been aired and posted online.

To date, more than 80,000 listeners have heard the students’ stories and perspectives. Listen to the projects produced by participants at www.wyso.org/podcast/dayton-youth-radio.

Be on the lookout for more stories from us throughout the week and don't forget to share your arts education projects and initiatives! Make sure to tag us using on Instagram and on Facebook.

Learn more about Arts Partnership grants at oac.ohio.gov/arts-partnership.

In April, the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County brought their community together through the power of live theatre. The project—titled “An Enemy of the People: A Theater Project from America’s Hometown”—is the focus of this week’s .

A collaboration between Theater of War Productions, the Kenyon College Office for Community Partnerships, and the Kenyon College Department of Dance, Drama, and Film, the organizations produced two nights of dramatic readings of scenes from Henrik Ibsen’s play, “An Enemy of the People.” Performances were presented both in person at the Knox Memorial Theatre and online via Zoom. Readers included local actors, politicians, scientists, reporters, and community members.

After each performance, they hosted a guided town hall meeting focused on the themes of the play and how they related to rural small-town America. It was through these discussions of sometimes difficult topics that audience members were able to connect and gain a better understanding of other people’s perspectives.

Enjoy a selection of images from the event, courtesy of the library, by Columbus-based photographer Erica Hardesty.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: Folk and traditional artists across the state are invited to submit work for an exhibition at Mohican State Park. The juried exhibition is presented by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. It will run from November 1, 2024, through January 3, 2025.

The deadline to submit work is September 30, 2024. Learn more at https://odnr2024mohicanrfq.artcall.org.

As summer heat begins to give way to cooler temperatures and crisp autumn air, we’re thinking about the start of the 2024-2025 performance and exhibition season! The best way to ensure your events are seen by Ohioans and visitors alike is to list them on ArtsInOhio.com.

It’s free to create a profile and list events! Check it out and submit your events at www.artsinohio.com today.

Images courtesy of the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance
- Top: Dayton Opera's production of Sondheim’s "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" featuring guest artists John Moore as Sweeney Todd and Ann Toomey as Mrs. Lovett.
- Middle: Performance by the Dayton Philharmonic conducted by Artistic Director Designate Keitaro Harada.
- Bottom: Dayton Ballet's performance of "Swan Lake" featuring company dancer Claire Bergman as Odette.

Ohio is full of amazing historic buildings and landmarks! Starting September 6, you’ll have the chance to experience many of these unique sites during Ohio Open Doors. Check out the wide range of special tours and events at www.ohiohistory.org/preserving-ohio/state-historic-preservation-office/ohio-open-doors/.

Running through September 15, Ohio Open Doors is presented in Ohio History Connection, TourismOhio (Ohio, The Heart of it All), Ohio Travel Association, and Heritage Ohio.

For artist John Weber, taking his approach to creating 2D print collage pieces and applying them to 3D objects just made sense. Weber and his work—for which he received a 2023 OAC Individual Excellence Award—are the focus of this week’s .

Based in Central Ohio, Weber uses found objects and experiments with a wide range of fabrication and finishing techniques to create reconfigured furniture and lighting fixtures.

He selects each component by its visual aesthetics and tactile experience. Aged and patina finishes, among others, help to both bring together and highlight the many pieces that come together to create the final work.

Images are courtesy of the artist.

Interested in applying for the current cycle of Individual Excellence Awards? Only a few more days remain to apply! You can learn more and submit your application by Tuesday, September 3 at 5 p.m. at oac.ohio.gov/iea.

August’s ArtsOhio e-newsletter is out now! In this edition, you can read more about the OAC’s historic investment in arts and culture announced recently, learn about ways to celebrate National Arts in Education Week this September, and find new funding opportunities!

Read all of this and more at https://mailchi.mp/oac/enews-august2024.

: In July, Indian classical dancer Sujatha Srinivasan (Shri Kalaa Mandir - Center for Indian Performing Arts) from Cleveland (left) and functional pottery maker Susan Abramovitz from Shade (right) were named this year's Ohio Heritage Fellows. Cristina Benedetti, the OAC's folk and traditional arts contractor, recently had a chance to chat with them about their work.

Read the full interview at: oac.ohio.gov/home/news-and-events/all-news/2024-ohio-heritage-fellows

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Does your community have a great piece of folklore that should be shared? Applications for Legends & Lore open today! The program is designed to promote cultural tourism and commemorate legends and folklore as part of our heritage.

The deadline to apply is October 14, 2024. Learn more at www.wgpfoundation.org/history/legends-lore/.

This program is available in Ohio thanks to a partnership between the OAC and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.

: Today, we’re excited to shine our spotlight on two Ohio-based music groups: Apostle Jones and Nikki D & The Sisters of Thunder. They are the recipients of the 2024 Ohio Arts Professionals Network (OAPN) EDIA Emerging Artist scholarship.

Apostle Jones Band is a Cleveland-based band founded in 2018. Made up of 12 members, their music combines the sounds and aesthetics of rock, soul, and gospel. In an OAPN media release, the band said:

"We are a band that thrives on connecting with our audience through raw, heartfelt performances. Our music is a reflection of our diverse backgrounds and influences, creating a sound that is both familiar and uniquely our own.”

Based in Toledo, Ohio, Nikki 'D' & The Sisters of Thunder mix gospel, blues, and steel guitar to create a unique sound. The family-based ensemble said in an OAPN media release that:

"Music has always been a powerful force in our lives, and we aim to uplift and inspire through our performances. Our roots are deeply embedded in gospel, but our sound transcends genres, reaching listeners of all backgrounds.”

As part of the scholarship, each group will present a showcase at the 2024 OAPN Conference, which is September 29 through October 2. All costs of attending the conference will also be covered as well as a year of membership to OAPN.

Learn more about the groups and the conference on the OAPN website at oapn.org.

OAPN is a Statewide Arts Service Organization funded by the Ohio Arts Council.

Images courtesy of the artists via OAPN

The August edition of the ArtsOhio e-newsletter will be out next week! Get the latest news, stories, and opportunities delivered directly to your inbox by signing up at mailchi.mp/oac/artsohio-sign-up.

Happy World Senior Citizens Day! To celebrate, we’re shining our spotlight on the Amplified Intergenerational Project—an initiative of Columbus-based organization WAV - We Amplify Voices. As part of the project, third-grade students from Avondale Elementary interviewed older adults who reside in the city’s Franklinton neighborhood. Through these interviews, participants formed meaningful connections between generations.

WAV created a video highlighting several of the interviews and explaining how the project came together. Learn more about the project—partially funded by an OAC ArtsNEXT grant—and watch the video at www.weamplifyvoices.org/intergenproject.

Image courtesy of WAV