“Midwestern style capital.” “Hip, with an artsy vibe.” “Rich cultural offerings.” “Cool.”

According to national art critics, Columbus has earned these words of praise. A recent issue of American Style Magazine ranked Columbus a top 10 destination for the arts – ahead of marquee cities including Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Not bad for a city once joked about for not having an image. Columbus has arts cred.

“That magazine article has created tons of buzz for Columbus,” says Scott Peacock, media relations manager for Experience Columbus. “Columbus has had an underrated arts scene for a long time.”

There’s plenty for Columbus to crow about. The city has developed a reputation for supporting and promoting artists. Consider the myriad of art galleries spread around town, everything from intimate exhibit spaces found in walk-ups, to the mother of local art colonies: the Short North.

I can remember when North High Street – between Downtown and the OSU campus – was a hodgepodge of greasy spoon restaurants, flop-houses, low-end retail and drunks passed out in doorways. But look at it now. Some of the city’s best-known galleries anchor the neighborhood. It’s also attracted entrepreneurs from around the country who are opening classy and avant-garde boutiques. It’s a boulevard of realized dreams from brave young visionaries. You can’t walk far along the sidewalk there without feeling the energy.

A few blocks north of this muscular arts district is the Wexner Center for the Arts, whose Andy Warhol exhibit is just the latest in a string of homeruns for the OSU art entity. Ironically, the windstorm that wreaked so much havoc in Central Ohio in mid-September brought a wave of foot traffic to the Wexner. Art-loving victims of the massive power outage flocked to the art gallery to pass time as crews worked to restore their electricity.

The Columbus Museum of Art is another shining jewel in the city’s crown. It has distinguished itself through an impressive collection of major works by Matisse, Picasso, Renoir and Monet, not to mention the world’s largest collection of paintings by Columbus native George Bellows.

The expansion of the Columbus College of Art and Design north and west of the museum continues to turn heads and attract students. Some of them remain in Columbus to set up shop, open art businesses or join with other creative minds to make their mark.

A few blocks east of CCAD, the King Arts Complex on Mt. Vernon Avenue dazzles visitors with an eclectic mix of African and African-American art, not to mention the national African-American dance troupes that perform in its intimate theater. The King Center’s Elijah Pierce Gallery – named for the local barber-turned-high priest of folk art – constantly churns out historical and contemporary exhibits that leave tongues wagging. And with the soon-to-open Lincoln Theater a few blocks away on Long Street, don’t be surprised to see an entertainment/arts district rising on the shoulders of these venues.

BalletMet continues to enrich Columbus while making a name for itself around the country. The dance company’s recent performances at New York City’s Joyce Theater attest to its major league status.

Whatever mark Columbus has made in the nation’s arts consciousness, it has earned it. It is an ongoing story with pages still to be written.

Watch Jerry Revish on the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. editions of 10TV News HD.

Gift Guide Bonus:
Mac Worthington, an iconic Columbus artist who has been on the scene for more than 35 years, has published Sculpture on Steroids, featuring visuals of his grandiose metal sculptures, from his early career to recent pieces. The book hits shelves in mid-November and is available at www.authorhouse.com, major bookstores and the Mac Worthington Galerie, 749 N. High St.