October 7, 201113 yr "Columbus provides a model for other communities seeking to marshal the arts for economic development, the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts said yesterday. " While I dont disagree with this at all and think that Columbus is a wonderful example of marshaling the arts, Landesman used this exact same quote on his trip he made to Cleveland a couple of weeks ago. :| *I should mention with Cleveland..... as opposed to Columbus.....
October 26, 201113 yr Blair Kamin Talks Architecture in Columbus, Ohio, Critiques Its 'Filing Cabinet' Skyline 10/23/2011 The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio Text size: AA By Jim Weiker, The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio Oct. 23--Blair Kamin likes to say that he "kicks tires for a living" -- another way of saying he's an architecture critic. The Pulitzer Prize-winning writer for the Chicago Tribune visited Columbus last week to offer a few thoughts on the state of architecture -- and the state of the Columbus skyline. Kamin praised some Columbus neighborhoods such as Sessions Village, German Village and the Short North, but he took aim at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and Downtown's nondescript high-rises, which he colorfully described as "filing cabinets" and "buildings with hats on them." http://archrecord.construction.com/yb/ar/article.aspx?story_id=165049420
October 28, 201113 yr ^Too bad the headline writer chose to cherry pick one of Blair Kamin's more colorful comments to negatively distort his view of Columbus. Fortunately, Mr. Kamin included one of his many positive reviews about Columbus in his own Chicago Tribune column. A positive review that, by the way, did not make it into the above article about his talk here in Columbus: Ohio highway cap at forefront of urban design trend; retail complex atop Columbus expressway offers model for Chicago BY BLAIR KAMIN October 27, 2011 COLUMBUS, Ohio — As they stroll between two buildings that echo the grandeur of Daniel Burnham’s demolished Union Station here, pedestrians can easily forget that they are walking over a bridge that spans a sunken interstate highway. But that’s what happens at the retail complex called the Cap at Union Station, where the classically styled buildings flank what looks like — but isn’t — a typical city street. The innovative project, which opened in 2004, put Columbus at the forefront of a national trend: Covering sunken freeways with caps, decks, land bridges or lids, as they are called, and using the found space to reconnect neighborhoods that were torn apart by the national highway building binge of the 1950s and 1960s. MORE: http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/theskyline/2011/10/ohio-highway-cap-at-forefront-of-urban-design-trend-retail-complex-atop-columbus-expressway-offers-m.html
November 4, 201113 yr <b>Columbus Museum of Art Breaks Ground on New West Garden</b> By: Walker <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/west-garden.jpg"> The Columbus Museum of Art is growing once again with the development of a new outdoor garden space. The West Garden is one piece of the CMA’s expansion plan, following the completion of last year’s major indoor renovation. This new public garden is being completed in collaboration with the City of Columbus and The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department. READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/columbus-museum-of-art-breaks-ground-on-new-west-garden
February 29, 201213 yr Public art is one component of the city's 200th anniversary celebration. Below is a link to an article from the Dispatch about this: More than a dozen works of public art are planned to help Columbus celebrate 200th anniversary More information will be available at www.columbuspublicart.com, where the projects will be documented as they are installed.
February 29, 201213 yr Link to a Columbus Underground post that features an eight-minute video produced by OSU's Wexner Center for the Arts that celebrates 20 years of the Wexner Center’s Artist Residency Awards. 20 Years of Artist Residency at The Wexner Center
March 1, 201213 yr 5% ‘seat fee’ proposed to fund arts By Lucas Sullivan, The Columbus Dispatch Sunday, February 19, 2012 - 5:39 AM The cost of attending a Bruce Springsteen concert or an Ohio State University football game could increase under a proposal to enact a seat surcharge on every entertainment ticket. In a presentation to county commissioners on Thursday, members of the Greater Columbus Arts Council proposed a 5 percent “seat fee” — state law calls it an “admissions tax” — to provide a new and stable revenue stream to promote and sustain the arts. That means a $150 ticket to see Springsteen would cost an extra $7.50. The surcharge could generate about $10.5 million in revenue for the arts council. Arts council President Milt Baughman said sustainability is important because the Columbus-area arts culture contributes $67 million in tax revenue and has created 25,000 jobs. “This is a proposal, and we are going to have many discussions about this,” Baughman said. “We were asked by (Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman) to look at and define some funding options beyond the bed tax, and that’s what we’re doing. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/02/19/5-seat-fee-proposed-to-fund-arts.html
March 2, 201213 yr ^ Interesting. Any sense of how warmly this will be received? I find it intriguing that this type of tax is being explored at the same time that the admissions tax in Cleveland is stirring up a prolonged, contentious debate ... In Cleveland, nonprofit arts venues are exempt, while smaller for-profit venues like the Beachland Ballroom and the Happy Dog are facing some pretty extraordinary back tax bills (after a number of years when the city wasn't very aggressive in their collections). Some venues are suggesting that this will be the death knell of live music in Cleveland. Unlike this proposed tax, though, Cleveland's admissions tax goes into the city's general fund, rather than back to arts and culture support ... So maybe that will make it less contentious? I also find it intriguing that there's not even a mention of a tobacco excise tax. Under Ohio law, counties above a certain population level can place a levy on the ballot for up to 30 cents tax on every pack of cigarettes sold that is then dedicated funding for arts and culture. Cuyahoga County passed a ballot measure like this in 2006, and the tax is currently generating about $15 million in annual support for the arts and culture sector ... In the span of a year, this tax moved Cuyahoga County from having one of the lowest levels of per capita public funding for the arts in the country to one of the highest. The tax has also supported the Creative Workforce Fellowship, a program that's distributing $400,000 in artist fellowships every year; our research indicates that this is the largest publicly funded artist support program in the country. Given all of that, and that Akron (and even Youngstown and Cincy, to a degree) are exploring a cigarette tax makes me a little puzzled as to why Columbus doesn't appear to even be considering it.
March 3, 201213 yr I'm not an arts funding expert - and won't pretend to be one. But anecdotally, almost everyone I've known complains about Ticketmaster-type ticket surcharges - which is similar to the 5% fee that is being proposed here. I have to believe if this arts fee ever came to a public vote that it would be opposed and defeated soundly. I just wonder if this ticket surcharge idea is being thrown out there to lay the groundwork for something more palatable, like the cigarette tax you mentioned.
March 30, 201213 yr Three finalists to offer proposals for sculpture at North Bank Park By Jeffrey Sheban, The Columbus Dispatch Monday, March 26, 2012 - 7:33 AM A signature sculpture is being planned for a second site along the Scioto riverfront Downtown. The Columbus Art Commission has enlisted three out-of-state artists to compete to design a $250,000 public installation for North Bank Park, the northernmost tip of the Scioto Mile park complex. The latest plan is not to be confused with the privately funded and controversial drive to erect a 75-foot stainless-steel structure — derisively likened to the cooling tower of a nuclear reactor — on the Town Street promenade. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2012/03/26/three-finalists-to-offer-proposals-for-sculpture-at-north-bank-park.html More about this project at the City's North Bank Park Public Art Project website - http://development.columbus.gov/planning/northbankpark.aspx
March 30, 201213 yr From ColumbusPublicArt.com and Columbus Underground: Finding Time: Columbus Public Art 2012 starts on April 1 2012 Finding Time: Columbus Public Art 2012: Four-Season Urban Plein Air Paintings Location: Around Downtown Columbus April 1 - December 31 No April Fooling. Finding Time: Columbus Public Art 2012, in celebration of 200Columbus the Bicentennial, Four-Season Urban Plein Air Paintings will launch on April 1 and continue through the end of the year. Members of Central Ohio Plein Air will paint six paintings per season on buildings in the downtown core. More at www.columbuspublicart.com
April 2, 201213 yr Some upcoming arts information from Columbus Underground: 2012-2013 Broadway Season Announced Opera Columbus announces 2012-2013 season, new collaboration with ShadowboxLive
May 3, 201213 yr Public art is one component of the city's 200th anniversary celebration. Below is a link to an article from the Dispatch about this: More than a dozen works of public art are planned to help Columbus celebrate 200th anniversary More information will be available at www.columbuspublicart.com, where the projects will be documented as they are installed. One of the most visible Bicentennial Public Art Projects was announced this morning in the below linked article from the Columbus Dispatch. Four wooden spires are set to be installed at the four corners of the Broad Street Bridge in downtown. The Franklin County Commisioners, who have ownership and jurisdiction over the bridge span are set to announce more details later today. Below is an excerpt from today's Dispatch article and a sketch of one of the wooden spires proposed for the Broad Street Bridge: Bicentennial art will adorn Broad Street bridge By Josh Jarman, The Columbus Dispatch Thursday, May 3, 2012 - 9:11 AM The Franklin County commissioners are expected to unveil today a $20,000 art installation that soon will grace the Broad Street bridge as part of the Columbus bicentennial celebration. Work on the installation, by California artist David Best, could begin next week and will adorn the bridge with four wooden spires. . . . Bicentennial Towers will stand atop the four pedestals, or plinths, that anchor each end of the bridge, and while the towers will share a “family of shapes,” they will not be identical. The artist is expected to begin installation of the towers with the help of the county engineer’s office on Monday, and they should stay up through the end of the year. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/05/03/bicentennial-art-will-adorn-bridge.html
May 3, 201213 yr More sketches of the four Broad Street Bridge spires from Columbus Underground: CU: More Downtown Public Artwork Coming to Scioto Mile
May 12, 201213 yr The temporary Bicentennial Public Art Project called "Bicentennial Towers" has gone up on the Broad Street Bridge. Below is a photo from the Columbus Underground article about it (linked below) of one of the four towers and the artist David Best. Also below is a video of the creation and installation of the project from the Columbus Foundation, who helped fund it. I'm quite impressed with it. The color and shape of the towers remind you of the LeVeque Tower - which can be seen from the bridge. The bridge location was designed to hold a future art installation (which never got done) so it's good to see this completed, even if temporarily. And the towers/spires themselves are decoratively interesting. My only complaint is that I wish they were permanent. Columbus Underground: Philanthropy Friday: Bicentennial Towers
June 4, 201213 yr The Ohio State University's Wexner Center for the Arts will be hosting a major exhibition of photographer Annie Leibovitz from September 21, 2012 through December 30, 2012. Over 200 photographs will be shown - the bulk of the exhibition consisting of works from her 'Master Set', 156 images that the photographer selected to reflect her career. The Wexner will be the first institution to show the Master Set in its entirety. Dispatch: Wexner to present Leibovitz photographs
November 17, 201212 yr OSU Forms Arts Committee to Better Connect with Short North and Downtown Columbus By: Walker Evans, Columbus Underground Published on November 13, 2012 - 11:20 am The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences announced on Friday that it would be forming a Town and Gown Advisory Committee for the Arts with the intention on making better connections between arts facilities on campus with arts facilities in surrounding Columbus neighborhoods and communities. READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/osu-forms-arts-committee-to-better-connect-with-short-north-and-downtown-columbus
February 13, 201312 yr Two articles about today's Columbus Metropolitan Club forum luncheon that will discuss arts funding and the type of economic returns that the arts can generate. The panel will be moderated by Ann Fisher from All Sides on WOSU and will include speakers Michael Gonsiorowski, Regional President of PNC; Columbus City Councilmember Priscilla Tyson; and Randy Cohen, VP of Research and Policy at the DC-based Americans for the Arts. Columbus Underground had a Q & A with Randy Cohen from Americans for the Arts at their link below. The Dispatch looked at the recently published findings of Mr. Cohen's Americans for the Arts survey of the economic effect of arts consumption in 182 U.S. regions: Columbus Underground: Investing in the Arts Yields Financial and Cultural Returns in Columbus Columbus Dispatch: Panelist to shed light on economic positives of arts
February 13, 201312 yr Congrats to the Franklinton Development Association for being named one of the finalists for a national ArtPlace award. I work on an ArtPlace project in Cleveland, and these large-scale grant awards are really transformative for communities nationwide. Fewer than 10% of proposed projects are named as finalists (there are only three finalists in Ohio!), so this is a big deal. Congrats! ArtPlace Names 105 Finalists for Creative Placemaking Grants By ArtPlace January 15, 2013 Chicago, IL One hundred five applicants in 72 communities in 33 states and the District of Columbia have been named finalists for grants from ArtPlace, an initiative to accelerate creative placemaking across the U.S. through grants and loans, research, communication and advocacy. ArtPlace is a collaboration of 13 leading national and regional foundations and six of the nation’s largest banks. ArtPlace also seeks advice and counsel from close working relationships with various federal agencies, including the National Endowment for the Arts, the departments of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Agriculture, Education, and Transportation, along with leadership from the White House Office of Management and Budget and the Domestic Policy Council. The selected applicants represent the best of the 1,225 letters of inquiry from across the country. Inquiries came from 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and American Samoa ... ... More available at http://www.artplaceamerica.org/articles/artplace-names-104-finalists/
February 13, 201312 yr ^ That's great to hear. The Franklinton Development Association is really trying to make an impact in the Franklinton neighborhood. They recently moved their offices into a colorful new home that was previously a corner liquor store. (More about that here) And the 400 West Rich warehouse building is becoming quite the artists colony in Franklinton over the past year. Wonder what FDA has in mind for the ArtPlace grant?
February 18, 201312 yr ^ Not sure, but it's probably implementation of something in their massive "East Franklinton Creative Community District Plan" (http://development.columbus.gov/uploadedFiles/Development/Planning_Division/Document_Library/Plans_and_Overlays_Imported_Content/EastFranklintonCreativeCommunityDistPlan_screen.pdf), which was released in November and specifically noted ArtPlace as a potential funding source.
April 1, 201411 yr The Greater Columbus Arts Council announced their first round of project-support grants for 2014: Asian Festival ($27,000), Columbus Civic Theater ($22,325), the Ohioana Library Association’s 2014 Book Festival ($19,975), the Pizzuti Collection exhibit “Abstraction” ($18,525) and the Juneteenth Ohio Festival ($17,875). An additional $55,783 in smaller grants was awarded in other categories, such as for community support and individual artists. GCAC's larger grants of over $100,000 in 2013 went to the following groups: CAPA ($225,000), Columbus Museum of Art ($225,000), COSI Columbus ($225,000), Wexner Center for the Arts ($225,000), BalletMet Columbus ($220,000), Columbus Symphony ($200,000), Jazz Arts Group ($175,750), King Arts Complex ($133,000), CATCO ($117,000), Opera Columbus ($108,000) and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra ($100,000). More at www.gcac.org
May 1, 201411 yr Wexners to display their Picassos, other artworks at Ohio State Masterpieces owned by Leslie H. and Abigail Wexner will go on public exhibit for the 25th anniversary of the Wexner Center for the Arts By Tim Feran, The Columbus Dispatch Thursday, April 10, 2014 - 6:46 AM L Brands (formerly The Limited) founder Leslie H. Wexner and his wife, Abigail, will put part of their private art collection on public display to help the center named for his father celebrate its 25th anniversary. “Transfigurations: Modern Masters from the Wexner Family Collection” will focus on works by three giants of 20th-century art: Pablo Picasso, Alberto Giacometti and Jean Dubuffet. The three-month exhibit — to be presented from Sept. 21 through Dec. 31 at Ohio State University’s Wexner Center for the Arts — will encompass about 60 pieces from the couple’s New Albany home. ... Dubuffet will be represented by 14 works (created from 1944 to 1963); Giacometti, by 18 works (1947 to 1963); and Picasso, by 18 works spanning 61 years (1898 to 1959). MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2014/04/10/wexners-to-display-their-picassos-other-artworks-at-ohio-state.html
May 28, 201411 yr The Dispatch had a recent profile looking at five cultural facilities that are or will be changing in the next few years at http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2014/05/04/1-venues-on-citys-menu.html. The five facilities profiled are the following: Columbus Museum of Art - Construction began in August on the third and final phase of the museum's expansion plan, a $37.6 million, 50,000 square foot addition to the original building. Construction is on track for an Autumn 2015 opening. More about this at http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=12824.msg659677#msg659677 Ohio Veterans Memorial - The existing Veterans Memorial Auditorium on the west bank of the Scioto River is scheduled to be demolished this summer and replaced with a $40 million new venue. The new venue would have a smaller 40,000 square foot building for meeting spaces and a museum. Plus an outdoor memorial plaza with an open-air amphitheater. This project is one component of an ambitious larger redevelopment plan for the 56-acre Scioto Peninsula area across the river from downtown. More about this at http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=6887.msg668761#msg668761 COSI Columbus - The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) is refurbishing their 221-seat planetarium, which has been closed since 2004. More about COSI at http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=6887.msg464958#msg464958 Central Presbyterian Church - The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) recently purchased the 154-year-old church with plans to convent it into a 400-seat concert hall. More about this at http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=28529.msg618054#msg618054 Beacon Hall - Franklinton - Harmony Project, an arts and community service organization, is working with the City of Columbus to convert a 101-year-old former church in East Franklinton into a community and arts space called Beacon Hall. Under the plans, the church, which is owned by the City, would house Harmony Project offices and convert into a 200-seat community and arts venue. More about this at http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=205.msg689023#msg689023
June 9, 201411 yr Columbus Foundation Announces Grants for Local Arts Groups By Jesse Bethea, Columbus Underground June 8, 2014 - 2:22 pm The Columbus Foundation, which has been supporting philanthropic causes in central Ohio since 1943, has announced it will grant sizable funds to local arts and cultural organizations. The grants, divided between major arts organizations and community arts programs, total more than $1.1 million. Artistic groups are considered by the Foundation to be major arts organizations if their annual budgets exceed $350,000. ... Grants totaling $1,028,599 will go to these 15 major arts organizations, including the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and the Wexner Center for the Arts. Groups with annual budgets less than $350,000 are considered community arts organizations. ... A total of $131,325 will go to 36 community arts groups, including the Actor’s Theater of Columbus, the Westerville Community Concert Band and the Columbus Gay Men’s Choir. MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/columbus-foundation-announces-grants-for-local-arts-groups-jb1
September 11, 201410 yr GCAC Presents: The Pizzuti Collection – An Insider’s View of Contemporary Art By Greer Pagano September 4, 2014 - 8:00 am Nestled between the leafy green space of Goodale Park and the bustle of the Short North is the Pizzuti Collection, a 501©(3) nonprofit exhibition space, founded in 2011 and dedicated to presenting contemporary art from the collection of Ron and Ann Pizzuti. The Pizzuti’s purchased the former headquarters of the United Commercial Travelers Insurance Company, located at 632 N. Park Street, and graciously restored and transformed the 18,000 square foot space into beautiful, airy, light-filled galleries before gifting it to the Pizzuti Collection. Each season we present an exciting range of exhibitions drawn from a collection of paintings, sculpture, film, photography, drawings, and prints that has been ranked as one of the top in the world. Pizzuti Collection is a place unlike any other in Columbus. ... The upcoming season promises to be exciting with innovative exhibitions, new events, and creative opportunities for our members to experience the art and artists in our collection. Keep up to date at www.pizzuticollection.org, follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@PizzutiArt), Instagram (@pizzuticollection), and our YouTube channel. MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/gcac-presents-the-pizzuti-collection-an-insiders-view-of-contemporary-art
May 27, 201510 yr Columbus artist Aminah Robinson passed away on Friday at the age of 75. A recipient of a MacArthur genius grant, she was Columbus' most well known living artist on a national/global stage. Below is the Dispatch's obit/retrospective of her life and work: Aminah Robinson was powerful advocate for Columbus: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/05/23/aminah-robinson-obit.html
May 27, 201510 yr The website - http://www.aminahsworld.org/ - highlights Aminah Robinson's work displayed at the Columbus Museum of Art. Her mixed-media artwork remembering her near-east side neighborhood has also been recreated in larger public mural form at two downtown locations. Wall of a State Auto Insurance building located immediately east of the Columbus Museum of Art and the Columbus College of Art & Design: Staircase in the front lobby of the Columbus Main Library: To celebrate her 75th birthday in February, Aminah Robinson talked with former CCAD President Denny Griffith at the Columbus Metropolitan Club. Below is an excerpt of that conversation:
June 1, 201510 yr What a wonderful spirit. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
July 20, 20159 yr The Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) launched a new five-year multi-million dollar marketing and support campaign at http://www.columbusmakesart.com/. Below are links to two reports about it: - New Campaign Launches to Boost the Arts in Columbus: http://www.columbusunderground.com/new-campaign-launches-to-boost-the-arts-in-columbus - New campaign seeks to boost the economy by boosting the arts: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2015/06/new-campaign-seeks-to-boost-the-economy-by.html
July 20, 20159 yr Two announcements from the Columbus Foundation about charitable grants recently given to the arts community: - Announcement of grants given by the Columbus Foundation in their on-going campaign to support Central Ohio arts and cultural organizations. The latest grants, approved on May 28, provide just over $1.1 million in funding for 54 organizations: http://www.columbusunderground.com/more-than-1-1-million-to-local-arts-orgs - Announcement of a new grant program called the Columbus Performing Arts Prize. The Columbus Performing Arts Prize will be given to individuals leading local performing arts organizations. The first five recipients were named by the Columbus Foundation in June: http://www.columbusunderground.com/performing-arts-innovation-fund-launched-at-the-columbus-foundation
July 21, 20159 yr Riffe Gallery saved by pledges of support from area arts organizations By Brian R. Ball, Staff Reporter Columbus Business First - July 20, 2015, 7:16pm EDT Ohio Arts Council Executive Director Donna Collins said efforts to bolster attendance of the Riffe Gallery downtown will rely on ideas from other nonprofit arts organizations and art lovers rather than a bigger budget. Collins said the council’s decision over the weekend not to close the gallery in the street-level lobby of the Riffe Center for Government and the Arts at 77 S. High Street came after other arts organizations pledged to share ideas on marketing the struggling gallery better. She said folks from the Columbus College of Art & Design, the Dublin Arts Council the Greater Columbus Arts Council and others said they would share ideas that have worked for their showcases. ( . . . ) The OAC board last week had put the option of closing the gallery on its July 22 agenda. “We want to re-imagine the gallery and market it to become more attractive,” Collins said of the alternative to closing the gallery. A deeper education focus, she said, could lead to putting the gallery on the itinerary of schoolchildren already touring the Statehouse or other arts venues. MORE: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2015/07/riffe-gallery-saved-by-pledges-of-support-from.html
December 16, 20159 yr http://www.columbusunderground.com/opera-columbus-launches-first-columbus-performing-arts-prize-project
December 16, 20159 yr Couple of articles about a public art project that involves re-imaging five downtown parking lot booths in a program called "Bold Booths". One booth has been installed, while the other four are still conceptual: -- Parking Lot Booths Transformed into Public Art Installations: http://www.columbusunderground.com/parking-lot-booths-transformed-into-public-art-installations -- Downtown parking lots go bohemian for public art exhibit: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2015/06/04/1-parking-lots-go-bohemian.html
December 16, 20159 yr Here is the parking lot booth that was installed at the Great Southern Hotel parking lot east of Main & High -- more views at http://www.columbusunderground.com/parking-lot-booths-transformed-into-public-art-installations: Here are the four remaining parking lot booth concepts yet to be installed:
January 18, 20169 yr Former CCAD president Denny Griffith dies at 63 By Mary Mogan Edwards, The Columbus Dispatch Monday, January 18, 2016 - 1:06 PM Denny Griffith, longtime president of Columbus College of Art and Design, has died at 63. His passing comes just days after his valedictory show, "Another World," opened at CCAD's Beeler Gallery and "Another World and Other Works" opened at Hammond Harkins Galleries in the Short North. Griffith led CCAD from 1998 to 2014 and is credited with overseeing transformational change at the college. ... After retirement, he continued painting after being diagnosed with cancer. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/01/18/0118-denny-griffith-obituary.html
January 18, 20169 yr More about Denny Griffith and his final works at Columbus Monthly: -- http://www.columbusmonthly.com/content/stories/2016/01/denny_griffith_loses_battle_with_cancer.html -- http://www.columbusmonthly.com/content/stories/2016/01/denny-griffiths-other-world.html
October 7, 20168 yr Tour Local Artist Studios This Weekend The first ever Columbus Open Studio and Stage (COSS) event kicks off this weekend, inviting locals to step inside artist studios and local theaters to experience a unique look at the local creative community. ( . . . ) The tours are self-guided, although many artists and performers will be on hand to interact with visitors throughout the course of the two-day event. Venues also available for touring include the CD102.5 Big Room, Lincoln Theatre, Ohio Theatre and Palace Theatre. The event takes place all day on Saturday October 8th and Sunday October 9th. For more information visit www.columbusopenstudioandstage.com. MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/tour-local-artist-studios-this-weekend
October 8, 20168 yr Program to Bring Unique Public Art to the University District By Brent Warren, Columbus Underground August 21, 2016 - 8:00 am The University District Organization is soliciting proposals for a wide-ranging public art program, one that organizers hope will shine a spotlight on the rich cultural life of the neighborhood. ... The program recently received a boost when it was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Create Columbus Commission. Here are the five projects, with descriptions from the UDO website at http://www.universitydistrict.org/character#public-input: Art from Nature – Create an art piece for placement in Iuka Park that integrates with the landscape. Music Trail T-shirt Design – Create an artistically-designed T-Shirt that can be distributed to promote the thriving music scene of the University District. The design may also be used as part of a window display on area music venues. Neighborhood 100 – Create 100 small objects to be distributed for display to residents and businesses throughout the University District. Short Literary Pieces – Several writers and poets and other literary-focused individuals will be commissioned to create two short pieces that can be displayed throughout the neighborhood. Youth Inspired Weinland Park Art – In coordination with a summer youth program at the Godman Guild Association, a workshop will encourage participating youth to visualize public art opportunities in their surroundings. The UDO will seek qualifications from individuals or teams for the creation of an art piece inspired by the youth workshop. MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/program-to-bring-unique-public-art-to-the-university-district-bw1
October 12, 20168 yr Columbus becoming hub of comic books By Eric Lagatta, The Columbus Dispatch Monday, September 12, 2016 - 11:45 AM Industry experts and creators have flocked to the Ohio capital in recent years, partly for its Midwestern affability, its low cost of living and a culture that many describe as vibrant. ... The art form is taken more seriously and enjoyed on a scale not seen before, many say — both nationally and in Columbus. Columbus hosts the world’s largest comic-book collection at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum on the Ohio State University campus; hosts an internationally renowned comics festival - Cartoon Crossroads Columbus; has a fledgling comic-book major at the Columbus College of Art & Design; and is home to a legion of independent creators and publishers. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2016/09/13/1-columbus-becoming-hub-of-comic-books.html
October 12, 20168 yr The second annual Cartoon Crossroads Columbus festival starts tomorrow and runs October 13-16 at various sites around the city. CXC was launched as a two-day gathering last year by local cartoonist Jeff Smith - author of the award-winning graphic novel series 'Bone'. This year 'Doonesbury' creator Garry Trudeau is headlining the festival. The Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist will be speaking at Mershon Auditorium on the Ohio State campus on Thursday night, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The festival's full four-day schedule is at http://www.cartooncrossroadscolumbus.com/schedule.html CXC Festival website: http://www.cartooncrossroadscolumbus.com/
October 31, 20168 yr One more cartoon related arts event to post - the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum is hosting a career retrospective of Mike Peters. Peters is the Pulitzer Prize award winning syndicated editorial cartoonist for the Dayton Daily News and creator of the well-known 'Mother Goose and Grimm' syndicated daily comic strip. "What a Hoot! A Mike Peters Retrospective," is an exhibit opening Saturday, November 5th at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at the Ohio State University. Peters will make an appearance on Nov. 12 for a tour, talk and reception, all open to the public: -- https://library.osu.edu/blogs/cartoons/2016/09/16/whatahoot/ -- http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2016/10/30/1-mike-peters-exhibit-at-the-billy-ireland-library-at-osu-osu-to-honor-longevity-of-mike-peters.html
October 31, 20168 yr Aminah Robinson passed away at age 75 last year. In her final years she embarked on a large number of works honoring Barack Obama’s two-term presidency called “The Presidential Suite”. Through December, the Columbus Museum of Art will be showcasing some of those works. In addition, the museum is tentatively planning a traveling exhibit of “The Presidential Suite". The MacArthur Foundation Genius Award winning artist willed all of her other previous works to the CMA, which is planning a major exhibit of Robinson’s whole body of work in 2020: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2016/09/23/1-37-aminah-robinson-works-inspired-by-obama-on-display.html
October 31, 20168 yr Sad news announced over the weekend. Bill Conner, President and CEO of the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA), died at age 64. CAPA owns and operates the Ohio Theatre, Palace Theatre and Southern Theatre and manages the Riffe Center theater complex and Lincoln Theatre; it also manages the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut. Conner also spearheaded efforts to renovate the Lincoln Theatre (a $13.9 million project completed in 2009) and the Drexel Theatre ($2.5 million, finished earlier this year). But as CAPA's leader, Conner will also be remembered for his implementation of a shared-service business model that helped ensure the survival of a number of struggling arts organizations during some especially difficult economic times. CAPA now provides services to groups such as the Columbus Symphony, Opera Columbus, CATCO and the Drexel Theatre. http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2016/10/28/president-and-ceo-of-columbus-association-of-performing-arts-dies.html
November 30, 20168 yr The Wexner Center for the Arts has announced Artist Residency Awards for 2016-17: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2016/09/30/1-wexner-center-for-the-arts-gives-residency-awards-to-several-artists.html
June 14, 20178 yr 30 years after opening, King Arts Complex remains vital to Near East Side By Ken Gordon, The Columbus Dispatch May 20, 2017 at 12:01 AM Three decades ago, the King Arts Complex opened with a mission of honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and showcasing African-Americans in the visual and performing arts. On Saturday, with improved finances foretelling a bright future for the venue, supporters will gather for a 30th-anniversary gala to celebrate the complex as a cultural cornerstone that helped buoy the Near East Side neighborhood around it. ( . . . ) Located on Mount Vernon Avenue, the complex is housed in the old Pythian Temple, where legendary musicians such as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and B.B. King performed. The $2.7 million renovation of that structure, which opened in 1987, was funded by a combination of city and state money, as well as crucial support from many corporate leaders. A $1.8 million expansion (incorporating the adjacent Garfield Elementary School) followed in 1989, more than doubling the center’s space, from 27,000 square feet to 60,000. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/entertainmentlife/20170520/30-years-after-opening-king-arts-complex-remains-vital-to-near-east-side
June 14, 20178 yr Sunday Dispatch piece about the latest round of public art murals located in the Short North. The program, known as the Short North Temporary Mural Series, began in 2006 and is on its fourth round of murals: http://www.dispatch.com/entertainmentlife/20170611/short-north-murals-show-picture-can-be-worth-6-words
September 2, 20177 yr Sad news announced over the weekend. Bill Conner, President and CEO of the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA), died at age 64. CAPA owns and operates the Ohio Theatre, Palace Theatre and Southern Theatre and manages the Riffe Center theater complex and Lincoln Theatre; it also manages the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut. Conner also spearheaded efforts to renovate the Lincoln Theatre (a $13.9 million project completed in 2009) and the Drexel Theatre ($2.5 million, finished earlier this year). But as CAPA's leader, Conner will also be remembered for his implementation of a shared-service business model that helped ensure the survival of a number of struggling arts organizations during some especially difficult economic times. CAPA now provides services to groups such as the Columbus Symphony, Opera Columbus, CATCO and the Drexel Theatre. http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2016/10/28/president-and-ceo-of-columbus-association-of-performing-arts-dies.html The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) announced that Chad Whittington will be their next CEO: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/08/30/capa-has-found-its-next-ceo.html A notable aspect of Whittington's hire is that he is only 40, but also has been with CAPA for 19 years(!). He started working at age 21 doing maintenance at the Ohio Theatre to pay college bills while earning a business degree at OSU. CAPA offered him a part-time position in the accounting department before he graduated and was promoted to full-time after graduation. Whittington eventually worked his way up to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of CAPA by the time of former CEO Bill Conner's death last year.
September 2, 20177 yr Cross-posted from the Columbus Downtown Convention Center development thread: https://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,29158.msg871849.html#msg871849 A prominent new sculpture has been installed at the corner of High and Goodale in the north atrium of the newly-expanded Convention Center. First, two teaser stories about it: Interactive Sculpture to be Revealed at the Convention Center this Thursday The Convention Facilities Authority will hold a VIP celebration event this Thursday for the completion of the Greater Columbus Convention Center’s renovations, and the unveiling of a “one-of-a-kind interactive LED sculpture designed to represent Central Ohio’s deep diversity.” The renovation cost $140 million and spanned two years, adding 95,000 square feet to the Convention Center, as well as an 800-space parking garage — Goodale Garage. More below: http://www.columbusunderground.com/interactive-sculpture-to-be-revealed-at-the-convention-center-this-thursday-ls1 Signature public art piece for Columbus set for unveiling Thursday An interactive piece of public art that officials hope will become nationally known is set to be unveiled at the Greater Columbus Convention Center on Thursday. The sculpture, titled “As We Are,” is a 14-foot multimedia display shaped in the form of a human head that projects visitors’ faces onto its form using 850,000 LED lights. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/08/31/signature-public-art-piece-for-columbus-set-for.html
September 2, 20177 yr And here are two articles about the "As We Are" head sculpture, after its Thursday preview showing. The first link contains a really good video that explains the sculpture, as well as a photo slideshow: - Columbus' newest public art piece is a 3D multimedia sculpture that displays faces on a 14-foot head lit by 850,000 LEDs (Video): https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/08/31/photos-columbus-newest-public-art-piece-is-a-3d.html - More pics and info on the head sculpture from the Dispatch: http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170901/new-columbus-convention-center-sculpture-called-ultimate-selfie-machine -- “As We Are,” created by Columbus College of Art & Design professor Matthew Mohr, made its debut during an invitation-only event at the just-renovated Greater Columbus Convention Center. The 14-foot metal sculpture is covered with 850,000 LED lights. A built-in photo booth at its back, featuring 32 digital cameras, captures the image of a subject’s head from many angles simultaneously. The resulting image is superimposed on the blank canvas of the giant head. Images will be stored and will be shown on a rotating basis. -- The sculpture is located at the corner of High and Goodale in the new north atrium of the expanded convention center. The sculpture will face toward the interior of the convention center during the day and rotate to face High Street at night. -- Civic, business and religious leaders were invited Thursday to have their images added to the rotating collection to be displayed on the head. Starting Friday, the public can visit the sculpture, with an attendant on hand to help visitors have their faces displayed on it. On Saturday, it will have its big public debut, when the convention center will participate in the Short North’s monthly Gallery Hop for the first time. Artist and CCAD professor Matthew Mohr in front of "As We Are" sculpture. The image on the sculpture is his 12-year-old daughter. Photo booth inside the sculpture. The face of the subject emerging from the photo booth in the previous image is superimposed onto the sculpture in the atrium. The panels surrounding the sculpture will be removed for Friday's public viewing, Saturday's gallery hop and going forward.
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