The reasons behind how and why Columbus became such an artistic hub can be traced back at least 100 years, when a group of graduate students from the Columbus Art School (now CCAD) formed an artists’ collective for “mutual and public benefit.”

The Columbus Art Students League began in 1909 with 40 members. The organization is now known as the Ohio Art League and includes more than 600 artists. Among its distinguished alumni are Alice Schille, Roy Lichtenstein, Emerson Burkhart and George Bellows.

The OAL operates as a non-profit, membership-based, visual arts group and operates from its Short North gallery at 954 N. High St. Exhibitions change each month and open with receptions on Gallery Hop Saturdays.

It seems the OAL’s mission of mutual and public benefit has influenced many local artists to embark upon similar paths. Artist collectives are no longer a novelty in Columbus – whether formed out of proximity, shared studio space or preferred medium. Many creative types are joining together to commit to a parallel cause – to network for professional advancement and to make sure they’re doing all they can to help Columbus become a major arts destination.

In the fall of 2007, several artists decided on a whim to try and brand Columbus as the “Independent Arts Capital of the World.” One of them, Mike Reed, believed Columbus had enough dedicated and cooperative artists that would help the label snowball simply by word-of-mouth. The tag was eventually approved by Columbus City Council and the backbone of this maintained effort consists of the various collectives throughout the city.
Couchfire
Originally, Reed was involved with the Couchfire Collective (established July 2006) and was a founding member (he is no longer with the group and is working on the development of a new collective venture). The 10 Couchfire members connected thanks to shared studio space at a former warehouse now called Junctionview Studios.

The group is gearing up for its sixth art show, Agora 6, which is May 16 at Junctionview Studios in Grandview. Although sponsored by the collective, Agora shows are open to everyone. Previous shows have drawn thousands of patrons and this year’s event is slated to be even bigger, with outdoor stages, vendor booths, food and beer, dancers, poets, musicians and much more.

The Couchfire Collective also presents group exhibitions, “Treasure Swap” events and more. Visit www.agoracolumbus.com or www.thecouchfire.org for more information.

Wild Goose Creative
Wild Goose Creative was founded two years ago in Columbus by three couples who were all friends during their undergraduate years at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich. Driven by a passion for the arts, they decided to form an organization that embraced art’s “wild goose-like” tendencies to be chaotic and exciting.

“The founders wanted a place that already had a smaller arts scene, but somewhere with a lot of artists. And Columbus is the ‘Indie Arts Capital of the World,’” says Amanda Anderson, a volunteer with the group.

Guided by its four tenants of "Hospitality, Creativity, Community and Education," Wild Goose gives Columbus artists a place to meet other local artists with a range of backgrounds, including visual arts, film, dance, music, culinary arts and writing. They also help artists find helpful resources for collaboration.

“The regular events we do help to break down the walls between artists and audiences,” Anderson says. “We want to encourage their creativity.”

Wild Goose hosts figure drawing groups, a painters’ group, a writers’ group, a comedy group and much more. Visit www.wildgoosecreative.com.

Gallery collectives
In 1989, a group of students from CCAD decided they needed a place for up-and-coming artists to showcase their work, so they opened a gallery of their own. The ROY G BIV Gallery, 997 N. High St., celebrates its 20th exhibition season this year.

This independent, non-profit art space stays open thanks to grants from the Ohio Arts Council and The Columbus Foundation, as well as donations from the community. The gallery features a new exhibit each month, mostly by emerging artists who live and work in Ohio. Openings coincide with the Short North’s Gallery Hop. Visit www.roygbivgallery.com.

Another successful gallery collective is the Studios on High, 686 N. High St., which has been going for 23 years. It consists of 17 artists with a gamut of mediums, from sculptures and jewelry to oil and glass. Artists in the collective pay membership dues, rent wall space (based on square footage and location), and work six hours a week and three gallery hops a year. They’re also expected to demonstrate their artistic process, be a team player and create work visually compatible with the other artists. Visit www.studiosonhigh.com.

Art Leagues, Societies and Councils
Many suburbs and districts harbor their own artistic teams – including the Worthington Area Art League, the Westerville Art League, Dublin Art League and the Hilliard Arts Council, among others. These successful groups function autonomously from each other, frequently sponsoring shows, fairs, exhibits and other programs. They’ve had a hand in facilitating public art projects and have held children’s courses to promote continued artistic development.

One similar collective that recently formed is the German Village Art League (www.gvartleague.com). The group was started by Ryan Oreweiller in late November and already includes more than 30 members.

“We don’t just take German Village artists, we take anyone. This is just about connecting and bouncing creative ideas off of each other and cultivating the arts community,” Oreweiller says.

The GVAL has its first show, Unify, May 22 through June 29 at Caterina Ltd., 571 S. Third St. Oreweiller is part of other collectives, including Studios on High, and is aware of their significance in helping Columbus solidify its arts personality.

“Every art organization contributes to the future of Columbus. We definitely need to spread out the arts and make sure artists have a working knowledge of the process of getting exposure,” Oreweiller says. “It’s all about networking and cultural enrichment, and it’s about keeping the city’s creative juices alive.”

Alicia Kelso is editor of CityScene.

Bonus
To celebrate its centennial milestone, the Ohio Art League will hold an-all members 100th anniversary show through June. A gala celebration will be held June 20 at the Columbus Museum of Art, where 100 individuals who have contributed to the Ohio visual arts community will be honored with a champagne toast. The gala will continue with dinner and dancing at BoMA. For more information, visit www.oal.org or call 614-299-8225.