History & Impact

History

Muskingum County has been imbued with creativity since the pottery industries originated in the 1800’s. Works created here appear in museum and personal collections worldwide. Muskingum County features nine art and history museums; two theatre groups; Secrest Auditorium & Music Hall; and the Southeastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra. 

In 1994 the arts community organized the Zanesville Appalachian Arts Project (ZAAP). In 2004, artists were recruited, nationwide, to relocate to downtown Zanesville, forming the Artist Colony of Zanesville. ArtCoz produces the monthly First Friday Art Walk and the Y-Bridge Arts Festival. In 2012 the City of Zanesville adopted the Downtown Arts & Culture Overlay District. Every July, for fifty years, vintage art pottery enthusiasts travel to Muskingum County to study, view, and sell pottery. Seeking the future, several entities joined to produce the first Zanesville Prize in Contemporary Ceramics in 2014. Repeated in 2015 and 2017, set to return in 2027, the international ceramic art competition offered the highest Best of Show prize in the Western Hemisphere.

Many local arts/humanities groups have been flourishing for 100+ years, including the Shakespeare Society, the longest continuously running Shakespeare group in the country. Creatives renovated dilapidated properties for arts education, galleries, studios, and living throughout the county from Roseville to Dresden. Two Muskingum Countians have received Ohio Governor’s Awards in the Arts since 2018.

The vast arts available, yet their lack of cohesion, informed  the Muskingum County Commissioners  2020 Strategic Plan, revealing the need for an arts council. A committee formed in 2020 was interrupted by COVID. In late 2022 through 2023, with lost time, the twenty member committee representing arts, government, business, and education hired consultant, Janus Small, to guide the creation of MCAC.  Costs were shared by the County Commissioners, Zanesville Museum of Art,  Muskingum County Community Foundation, ArtCoz, ZAAP, local donors, and an Ohio Arts Council $5,000 Capacity Building Grant.

Starting July 2023, Small guided the team in analyzing community needs utilizing studies by the Zanesville Museum of Art and the Muskingum County Library, stakeholder meetings, a community meeting, and an on-line survey. This nine month process guided the structure, budget, and planning for the Arts Council. It was determined that employing an executive director and an assistant would be necessary to complete the mission.

 In May 2024, MCAC celebrated its first board meeting. Since then, the board adopted the Constitution and Bylaws, adopted the Mission and Vision statements, applied for 501c3 status, sought public funding for operations, researched every Ohio county arts council, reviewed arts economic impact, and began to define the executive director position. The diverse fifteen member board from throughout Muskingum County share one united spirit recognizing the impact the arts make on community well-being, education, and economics.

Anticipated impact

Buckeye Hills Regional Council and Americans for the Arts with support from the Ohio Arts Council and U.S. Economic Development Administration, gathered audience and economic data for a socio-economic study of Athens, Hocking, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry, and Washington counties. Southeast Ohio’s nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $24,677,808 in economic activity in 2022, That economic activity–$12,209,889 in spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and $12,467,919 in event-related spending by their audiences supported 452 jobs and generated $3,417,338 in local, state, and federal government revenue. This study provides compelling information about the social and economic impact of the arts in these eight rural Southeastern Ohio Counties. Considering Muskingum County’s location, its population, its baseline of economic activity, and its creative potential, we anticipate an even stronger socio-economic impact.

MCAC anticipates this impact as a result of our work:

• Creatives will learn strategies to build their business allowing them to grow their bottom line, invest in real estate, employees, and stimulate the economy.

• The dynamic arts community will entice visitors to experience the area, have a great time, tell others and return.

• Drawing connections and building partnerships between seemingly unrelated arts entities and creative industries spurs interesting community events bridging gaps between citizens and encouraging volunteer opportunities for all ages, creating a  welcome space making it worthwhile to get off the couch or away from a screen.

• Increase social awareness and interaction by stretching the view and expectations. Inspire a need to know more.

• Offer opportunities to celebrate our Appalachian heritage. 

• Having a strong arts council with a cohesive arts community provides a backdrop for the Zanesville Museum of Art’s plan for expansion and possible relocation which would further tourism, intellectual enrichment, and spur business investment.

• Overall health and wellbeing will improve when there is collaboration between arts entities, creative industries, government, civic groups, education, healthcare, and senior engagement.

• A respected Arts Council generates enthusiasm for funding projects and for grant making to organizations to support creation of community beneficial projects.  

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