Local arts organizations receive 2026 state grant funding

Arts organizations in Medina County were recent recipients of Ohio Arts Council funding, which will be used to further support the arts locally. More than 1,000 grants totaling just over $24 million were approved by the Ohio Arts Council. Buckeye Community Theatre was one of the recipients, receiving $4,080 in ArtSTART grant funding. Buckeye Community Theatre Executive Director Kimberly States said the youth theater provides opportunities for children to be on stage for performances and off stage through internships based in areas like costuming, choreography and lighting. "We also care a lot about making theater accessible, so we always have a performance that is sensory friendly for those with sensory sensitivities," she said. "We also make that performance pay what you will, so the audience who attends that performance can choose to pay any price, including $0 to attend that performance." This year's grant funding will go toward the organization's internships and offsetting the costs of the show where audience members pay what they choose, States said. "(Theater) is a wonderful way for children to express themselves," she said. "It also teaches so many life skills like how to collaborate with others, confidence, public speaking and time management. There's so many skills that you can learn in theater and in art that transfer over to any career." ORMACO, which stands for Ohio Regional Music Arts and Cultural Outreach, received a $10,250 Ohio artists on tour grant and a $9,761 sustainability grant. ORMACO Executive Director Tom Sigel said the sustainability grant will fund the organization's everyday operations. The Ohio artists on tour grant will partially fund its outreach programs such as the "World Tour of Music" and concerts at Medina County's libraries. "Looking at the arts on a local level, it helps strengthen the fabric of a community," he said. "It builds friendships, and it helps people from different backgrounds get to know one another. The arts create a sense of belonging and infuse culture into the community." The following other Medina County organizations received funding from the Ohio Arts Council: $6,183 sustainability grant for Main Street Medina. $3,322 ArtSTART grant for Protestant Episcopal Church. $10,500 TeachArtsOhio grant for Cloverleaf Schools. $867 Ohio artists on tour grant and $6,458 sustainability grant for Access the Arts. $2,896 ArtSTART grant for the Wadsworth Square Foundation. "The arts are important for everybody," Sigel said. "Music, arts and culture nourish the soul, and that's quite important to have." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.