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Columbus Council approves three measures directing millions to arts grants, venue support and artist programs
Summary
Council voted to approve three ordinances directing hotel‑motel and admission tax proceeds and facility stabilization funds to the Greater Columbus Arts Council for grants, artist programs and venue stabilization. Supporters said the funding expands outreach, jobs and access to arts across neighborhoods.
Columbus City Council on Tuesday approved three ordinances that direct portions of hotel‑motel and admission taxes and a share of arena admission proceeds to the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC), a nonprofit that distributes grants and runs community arts programs.
Councilmember Bankston introduced the measures and brought GCAC Executive Director Tom Katzenmeyer to the podium to describe how the funds are being used. Katzenmeyer said the recent injections of city funding have allowed GCAC to expand artist grants, launch a new artist projects grant, expand education programming and pay multilingual navigators to reach communities that historically had less access to grants.
The package included: an allocation from hotel‑motel excise tax for arts programming; use of proceeds from the city’s creation, innovation and inclusion fund to support grants to artists and arts organizations; and 20% of arena admission proceeds to support cultural and performance venues while the remaining 80% supports the Franklin County facilities authority. Katzenmeyer told council GCAC returned around 90% of its revenue to community programs in 2024 and cited investments in murals, film incentives and awards to individual artists.
Councilmembers who serve on or have supported GCAC praised the agency’s outreach and its role in economic development. “When you go to a show or a concert … that fee is going directly back into our community,” Councilmember Bankston said. Councilmember Barossa de Padilla and others highlighted GCAC efforts to expand accessibility programs and investments in neighborhood outreach.
Councilmember Beatty recorded abstentions on the votes for at least one of the ordinances; other councilmembers voted in favor. The ordinances passed on voice and roll calls and were recorded by the clerk. Proponents said the funding supports jobs, expands free or reduced‑cost admission and helps artists sustain careers; no speakers opposed the measures during the council discussion.
Council President Harden and others said the funding package will be a focus of future oversight and public conversation as the city evaluates cultural investments alongside other budget priorities. The council did not set additional conditions in the text beyond the appropriation and contracting authorities stated in the ordinances.
Katzenmeyer thanked council for what he called a long‑term partnership and invited council to upcoming public events where GCAC will engage residents and artists.
The ordinances take effect immediately as adopted by council and enable the director of Finance and Management to execute the stated contracts and appropriations.
