Grove City Arts Council's President Debra Orlando & Artist husband John Orlando checked in vendors along with brother Kenny for the 2019 spring bazaar.
Forty years ago, the Grove City Arts Council was just getting on its feet.
Brought together by community members united in their drive to bring arts instruction, education and appreciation to Grove City, the arts council now stands tall.
“The (Grove City Chamber of Commerce) had a lot of hand in putting it together and getting it started,” says Dennise Hunt, vice president of the arts council and a former president of the group.
The chamber and the arts council quickly began collaborating on Grove City’s signature event, Arts in the Alley, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2020. The arts council is still involved in Arts in the Alley today.
“I’ve been director of the fine arts show for Arts in the Alley for the last six (years),” Hunt says. “Prior to that, we had one of our members that did it for 16 years. And we always have a booth for the council.”
But the Arts in the Alley isn’t the only thing the arts council has had its hands on.
“Our purpose is to promote the arts in Grove City, no matter what shape it takes,” Hunt says.
One of the arts council’s biggest initiatives was awarding an annual scholarship to a high school senior in the South-Western City School District. Applicants were students who planned to pursue an artistic career after graduation and had to present their artwork to the council for consideration.
Get Involved
Just like in its beginnings back in 1981, the Grove City Arts Council meets once a month. After a brief hiatus due to change of meeting location, the council will begin to meet again at the Grove City Library. The next in-person meeting is set to take place Tuesday, Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m., though the event is subject to change.
One of the arts council’s biggest initiatives was awarding an annual scholarship to a high school senior in the South-Western City School District. Applicants were students who planned to pursue an artistic career after graduation and had to present their artwork to the council for consideration.
“We did that for many years, and we probably awarded over
$40,000 worth of scholarships in that time,” Hunt says.
Four or five years ago, however, Hunt says the council decided to take the grant in a new direction.
“We converted it to just a general grant for anyone who had an art project of any kind,” Hunt says. “Rather than isolate our- selves to seniors in high school, there were other groups that were needing to have funding to help produce whatever their project was.”
Hunt says many applicants have been teachers looking to produce community art projects. One recipient built an outdoor garden promoting unity and peace. Another teacher’s project worked with students to create large posters based on life quotes, proverbs and philosophies.
“One year, we did an endangered species coloring book that we developed ourselves,” Hunt says. “We gave 1,685 coloring books to the South-Western City Schools District’s third- graders to work in conjunction to their science curriculum.”
To help support the arts council, visit its website www.grovecityartscouncil.org.
Weathering the Years
Since its founding, the arts council has seen significant growth and held strong through periodic highs and lows.
In the past couple of years, the council has grown in numbers. Hunt says that when she started as president of the arts council there were eight members who regularly came to meetings.
“By the time I finished my presidency, my first term, we had 35 people,” she says.
Though the pandemic has affected the arts council’s membership, the council is still going strong with more than 20 members, Hunt says, and they anticipate that number rising.
“Not being in person didn’t stop us from promoting or appreciating art,” Hunt says.
Next up on the arts council’s agenda is to get its own arts center to be able to better serve the needs of the community.
“What we’re looking for are sustainable sources of funding where we can have a center where we can house the city’s art collection, perhaps, or where we can have other exhibits and we can offer classes on an ongoing basis,” Hunt says.
One of the perks of a physical center for the arts council would be the opportunity to support more than just the visual arts.
“Art doesn’t stop at just drawings and paintings,” Hunt says. “It encompasses music and theater. So, we could use the center for the little theater we already have in town and perhaps offer musical performances as well.”
Sarah Robinson is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
