A cohort of 25 leaders was selected through a competitive application process, and represents 15 cities throughout the state — including people from Dayton, Springfield, Yellow Springs and Butler County.
CreativeOhio said the Leadership Institute will help participants build statewide connections via hands-on workshops, site visits to cultural hubs, and in-depth discussions on legislative processes, public funding, and advocacy strategies.
The cohort includes professionals from performing arts, visual arts, media, museums, arts education, and cultural advocacy, reflecting the breadth of Ohio’s creative sector.
The four Miami Valley representatives are:
* Marta Wojcik, executive director & curator of the Frank Lloyd Wright Westcott House in Springfield;
* Luke Dennis, general manager and president of WYSO-Miami Valley Public Media in Yellow Springs;
* Kappy Kilburn, executive director of The Human Race Theatre Company in Dayton;
* Robyn Winkler, executive director of Visionaries & Voices in Liberty Twp., Butler County.
“This inaugural cohort represents an esteemed and passionate group of leaders dedicated to strengthening Ohio’s creative economy and ensuring the arts have a seat at the table in policy discussions,” said Sarah Sisser, executive director & CEO of CreativeOhio.
Sisser said advocating for the arts helps ensure that “creativity continues to be a driver of economic growth and cultural vibrancy in our state.”
Wojcik of Springfield’s Westcott House, said her organization has received past grant funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for Humanities.
“The timing for (the Advocacy Leadership Institute) could not be more urgent,” she said. “As we speak, the agencies and resources that have helped organizations like ours accomplish the most incredible things face tremendous uncertainty.”
She said funding from those federal groups is also important to the Ohio Arts Council and Ohio Humanities.
“I am grateful to the CreativeOhio for creating ALI as an opportunity to arm ourselves with more knowledge and skills to help with the advocacy work for the agencies that have been a lifeline to us,” Wojcik said.
CreativeOhio is a statewide group with over 130 member organizations from Ohio’s creative sector. They said the new Advocacy Leadership Institute received support from The George Gund Foundation, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Greater Columbus Arts Council, and Edwards Companies.
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
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