STATEHOUSE NEWS

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The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board has joined the Ohio Arts Council and hundreds of arts organizations and communities around the state and nation in celebrating National Arts & Humanities Month (NAHM) throughout October. NAHM has been celebrated since 1993 and provides a great opportunity for people to participate in the arts offered in their communities.

The Ohio Statehouse will host special art tours and a performance during the month of October. Arts and Humanities Month events include:

October 10, 17, 24 and 31; 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.; Wednesday Art Tours; Ohio Statehouse Map Room:
Each Wednesday throughout October, a special art tour highlighting the “People’s Art Collection” housed at the Ohio Statehouse will be given. The tour will highlight the governors’ portrait collection, the impressive works of art in the Rotunda and other paintings and sculpture throughout the Capitol Square complex.

Tours will depart at noon each Wednesday from the Map Room on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse, easily accessible from the Third Street entrance. The tours are free and open to the public.

Leslie Adams, portrait artist and painter, will talk about her portraits of Governors Bob Taft and Ted Strickland on October 24 at noon.

October 11; 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.; Riffe Gallery:
A Celebration of Poetry will feature notable Ohio poets and a Poetry Out Loud competition finalists. The event will offer free poetry readings throughout the lunch-hour to poetry enthusiasts.

October 25; 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.; Ohio Statehouse Atrium:
The month-long celebration will conclude with a free lunch time performance from Inlet Dance Group in the Ohio Statehouse Atrium. Intel, a contemporary dance company, uses dance viewing, training and performing experiences as tools to bring about personal growth and development. Inlet’s impact has grown locally and internationally and their events reach regional and international markets. For more information about the Inlet dance company, visit http://www.inletdance.org/.

A visit to the Statehouse is also a good time to explore the People’s Art Collection. The artwork in the collection at the Statehouse depicts the hopes, dreams, values and aspirations of Ohioans - - and commemorates Ohio’s accomplishments and struggles. With the support of the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education and the Ohio Arts Council, the People's Art Collection created integrated lessons about the works of art found within the Ohio Statehouse and on Capitol Square. These resources are available for parents and teachers on the Statehouse Web site at: http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/Education/PeoplesArtCollection.aspx.

Ohio National Arts & Humanities Month events are organized by the Ohio Arts Council with support from the Ohio Statehouse.

National Arts & Humanities Month is coordinated by Americans for the Arts, the national organization working to empower communities with the resources and support necessary to provide access to all of the arts for all of the people.

To view this press release and others, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is more than a monument to our past; it's where history happens! The Ohio Statehouse is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed holidays. The Ohio Statehouse Museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends from noon to 4 p.m.; closed holidays. Admission is free. Free guided tours are offered Monday through Friday on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. Tours depart from the Map Room easily accessible from the Third Street entrance. Groups of 10 or more are requested to call in advance to ensure a guide is available. Contact 888/OHIO-123 for more information or to schedule a group tour. For more information about the Ohio Statehouse visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is handicapped accessible and senior friendly. The Capitol Square complex was restored to allow for greater access by individuals living with disabilities. Ohio Statehouse public programs and events are held in accessible and barrier free areas of the building so that everyone can participate. Ohio Statehouse visitors needing disability-related accommodations in order to fully participate in an event may contact the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board at statehouse@csrab.state.oh.us or 614/752-9777 to communicate special needs. Please allow three weeks for arrangements to be completed.

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) is responsible for maintaining the historic character of the Statehouse and Capitol Square while providing for the health, safety and convenience of those who work in or visit the complex. The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center coordinates tours of Capitol Square and provides information about the buildings, their history and Ohio's government.

The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.

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