PAC receives grant

The Performing Arts Center at Kent State University at Tuscarawas is one of 104 arts-based organizations receiving economic relief grants. In total, organizations in 33 counties will receive more than $20 million in grants.

Gov. Mike DeWine announced the awards as the second round of the Ohio Arts Economic Relief Grant Program, administered by the Ohio Department of Development. In total, more than $43 million in grants has been announced for 243 arts organizations across the state.

The award will support the Performing Arts Center with the implementation of its newly announced 2023-24 season. The annual programming at the venue stimulates regional economic development.

“Ohio artists and arts organizations make our state an attractive place to live, work and raise a family,” DeWine said. “Ohio is the heart of it all, and by supporting the arts, we continue to ensure artistic excellence.”

The grants will help pay for employee compensation excluding bonuses, employee recruitment, rehiring, training expenses, rent or mortgage payments and operating costs.

“Ohio’s arts and culture are big business in the heart of the heartland,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development. “By supporting these organizations, we’re supporting the business of art, which is essential for economic growth but also essential for creating vibrant and diverse communities.”

The grant program was created in partnership with the Ohio General Assembly as part of a bill sponsored by Sen. George Lang (R-West Chester), which was later merged into House Bill 45. The first round, announced in May, awarded more than $23 million to 139 organizations.

“The arts industry in the state is still very much in recovery mode,” said David Mitchell, general manager of the Performing Arts Center. “We’re thankful to the governor’s office and the Ohio General Assembly for acknowledging the importance of the arts in our communities as an economic driver and for awarding these funds which will assist us in continuing to present extraordinary moments that create lifelong memories to our patrons.”

The program is funded as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, and awards were calculated based on organizations’ loss in revenue from 2019-21 and their 2022 operating budget. For more information about the program, visit www.Development.Ohio.Gov/ArtsGrant.

The Performing Arts Center at Kent State University at Tuscarawas is a 50,000-square-foot facility with a 1,100-seat theater located in New Philadelphia. The venue offers performances of Broadway tours, headline music acts, comedy, family and dance programming, and educational outreach to local schools. A complete schedule of performances can be found at www.kent.edu/tuscpac.