COLUMBUS, Ohio — Investing in arts and performances venues in the greater Columbus area is top of mind for the Columbus City Council.
Monday night, the council approved an ordinance for the department of finance and management to enter into a contract with the Greater Columbus Arts Council. Tickets to all events in the greater Columbus area come with a 5% fee for the Facility Stabilization Fund.
This ordinance directs 20% of that money for capital improvements on publicly owned arenas. The Greater Columbus Arts Council will disburse about $815,000 of tax proceeds through applications and considerations of proposals to outside organizations. Councilmember Nick Bankston, chair of the finance and governance committee, said investing in the arts community is about investing in the vibrance of the city.
“So it’s all critically important to understand that we see art as a part of our economic development makeup,” Bankston said. “It’s not simply about having jobs or simply about having housing, but it’s also making sure we have a vibrant city. And having a vibrant city is having a strong, a robust and diverse public art supply.”
This large investment in the arts is council’s way of making sure that Columbus has a thriving arts community. Council members said art is a way the people of Columbus share who they are as a community and that needs to be preserved.
