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(COLUMBUS, Ohio)— Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik announced today that the state will award more than $20 million in grants to support 104 arts-based organizations in 33 counties.
The grants are part of the second round of the Ohio Arts Economic Relief Grant Program. In total, more than $43 million in grants have been announced for 243 arts organizations across the state.
“Ohio artists and arts organizations make our state an attractive place to live, work, and raise a family,” said Governor DeWine. “Ohio is the heart of it all – and by supporting the arts, we continue to ensure artistic excellence.”
The grants announced today will help pay for employee compensation, excluding bonuses; employee recruitment, rehiring, and training expenses; rent or mortgage payments; and operating costs.
“Through these grants, we’re promoting creativity and quality of life,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “These resources help people take pride in their local communities and create places where people want to live, work and play.”
“Ohio’s arts and culture are big business in the heart of the heartland,” said Lydia Mihalik, Director of the Ohio Department of Development. “By supporting these organizations, we’re supporting the business of art, which is essential for economic growth but also essential for creating vibrant and diverse communities.”
The grant program was created in partnership with the Ohio General Assembly as part of a bill sponsored by Sen. George Lang (R-West Chester) which was later merged into House Bill 45. The first round, announced in May, awarded more than $23 million to 139 organizations.
The program is funded as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, and awards were calculated based on organizations’ loss in revenue from 2019 to 2020 and 2021 and their 2022 operating budget. For more information about the program, visit Development.Ohio.Gov/ArtsGrant