Celebrating, Honoring, and Valuing Rich Traditions: The History of the Ohio Appalachian Arts Program

The seeds for the Ohio Appalachian Arts Program were sown in 1978 when the Executive Director of the Ohio Arts Council set in motion a plan to develop a Minority Arts Program that included the underserved communities of Appalachia. A coordinator, working with a team of consultants who knew the region and its people, began to identify the artists and organizations and to determine their needs. The idea from the beginning was that the Ohio Arts Council would be a partner with them to build and support a program of the arts that would help restore pride to the area. Through inclusion of works from well-know poets of the Appalachian region and interviews with the individuals involved with the building process, this story traces the evolution from early assessments of talent and needs, through the initiative stage to full program status. Along the path was an encounter with the artists and arts organizations across the Ohio River in West Virginia and the recognition of mutual interests and support that could be gained by their incorporation into the program. Numerous examples of the benefits to artists and arts organizations that have been derived from the Ohio Appalachian Arts Program are documented in the story. After more than twenty-five years, the participants express pride in their accomplishments and hope for the program's future.