Heartland Bank: a supporter of the arts in central Ohio

With more than 50 nonprofit organizations and festivals around central Ohio benefiting from its support, you might say Heartland Bank considers the arts close to its heart

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With more than 50 nonprofit organizations and festivals around central Ohio benefiting from its support, you might say Heartland Bank considers the arts close to its heart.

The company, headquartered in Whitehall, has placed an emphasis on supporting the arts since 1988, and its commitment to the community has not gone unnoticed. In the 2018 Governor’s Awards for the Arts in Ohio, Heartland is being recognized for Business Support of the Arts (Small).

“Support for local music and the arts fosters the development of important skills in the lives of children and families who embrace the arts, learn from the tradition and become lifelong arts advocates,” says Scott McComb, chairman, president and CEO of Heartland Bank.

Partnerships with Impact

Many of the 50-plus organizations that have benefited from Heartland’s generosity are based in the arts. These include:

  • Columbus College of Art and Design;
  • Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival;
  • Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce Music & Arts Festival;
  • Summer Jam West; and
  • Grove City Arts in the Alley.

“Anyone who’s in the arts community and who’s had the pleasure of dealing with Heartland Bank has come away with a warmth in their heart for them. Their openness, honesty, willingness to jump on board and put feet on the ground where other institutions would only donate or fund is what sets them apart.” - Patricia Von Niessen, executive director of Summer Jam West

Exceeding Expectations

Heartland Bank goes above and beyond when it creates partnerships, says McComb. The company is dedicated to bettering surrounding communities and through hands-on work with every project, instead of just the money behind the curtain.

Among the highlights of its community involvement are:

  • Heartland BancCorp founders Tiney and Helena McComb co-founded Arts in the Alley.
  • The company has been presenting sponsor of Arts in the Alley for 19 years, and the Westerville Music & Arts Festival for 17 years.
  • The company helped fund Copious and Notes in the Brewery District, and sponsors a music series there.
  • Heartland financed the urban adaptive reuse project at 400 West Rich in Franklinton, transforming an abandoned warehouse into a multifunctional arts complex.
  • The bank supported Blockfort, an urban reuse project to create an art gallery and studios, when no other financial institution would listen to its story.
  • Heartland’s 14 branches work with local artists, display art and bring work in from local students.

Summer Jam West officially nominated Heartland for the Governor’s Awards for the Arts.

Laura Cole is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.

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