VISION
We envision an Ohio where arts and culture are celebrated, supported, and leveraged as essential public resources—driving vibrant communities, fueling a strong economy, and deepening civic engagement.
MISSION
CreativeOhio champions Ohio’s creative sector through advocacy, connectivity, and coalition-building to spark transformative public policy and investment in arts and culture statewide.
VALUES
Arts And Culture Are Indispensable
We believe arts and culture are essential to a healthy Ohio—fueling vibrant communities, economic strength, inclusive democracy, and physical and mental wellbeing. Public investment in creativity benefits everyone.
We Are Stronger Together
Lasting change requires collaboration. We prioritize coalition-building, shared leadership, and cross-sector partnerships to advance statewide impact.
Civic Knowledge is Power
Meaningful change begins with understanding how decisions are made. We prioritize civic literacy so our sector knows the system, the timing, and the tools needed to engage effectively.
Connection Drives Impact
We serve as a connector for Ohio’s creative sector—bringing together organizations, artists, policymakers, and partners to align efforts, share knowledge, and amplify collective influence.
We Show up and Speak up
We advocate with integrity, credibility, and consistency. We listen to our members, elevate lived experience, rely on strong data, and engage directly where public decisions are made.
We Stay Nimble and Informed
Public policy evolves quickly. We remain responsive, adaptable, and proactive to meet urgent moments while still advancing long-term goals.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CEO
Sarah Sisser brings ten-plus years of experience as a nonprofit administrator, community planner, and advocate for funding of public humanities and cultural institutions at the local, state, and federal levels.
Sisser’s leadership experiences also include serving on the board of Ohio Humanities (the state-based partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities) which she chairs.
In addition to Ohio Humanities, Sisser’s community leadership has included serving on the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction, & Mental Health Services, the Findlay-Hancock County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and serving as President of the Findlay Rotary Club.
Personal and organizational recognition for Sisser’s work and accomplishments include the Scenic Ohio Award, Ohio Museums Association Emerging Professional of the Year, Greater Toledo 20 Under 40 Award, Ohio State Historic Preservation Office’s Public Education and Awareness Award, and the Findlay-Hancock County Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Hospitality Award.
Sisser earned a bachelor’s degree of Fine Arts in Historic Preservation at the Savannah College of Art & Design, and a Master of Community Planning degree from the College of Architecture, Design and Construction at Auburn University.
Strategic plan
Our strategic plan identifies opportunities and strategies that will allow us to secure, enhance, and leverage CO’s core strengths and attributes to enrich our communities, citizens, and culture through constant advocacy and relentless support of Ohio creatives and the creative economy.
HISTORY
CreativeOhio leads statewide advocacy for creatives and the creative economy
Inception
CreativeOhio (CO) was established in 1976 as Ohio Citizens for the Arts, a 501(c)4. Its purpose was to increase public funding for the arts through citizen-based lobbying in the state biennial budget process, a six month, every other year legislative cycle.
While that focus continues today, the effort has necessarily grown in scope and impact. The untapped potential of Ohio’s creative sector coupled with the critical needs of the recent pandemic catalyzed an evolution in the mission and reach of the organization’s work, extending to every day, all year advocacy.
Since 2020, CO has raised a historic, unprecedented $110 million for the arts and creatives in Ohio and repositioned the arts and creative sector as an essential, contributing component of Ohio’s economy.
Evolution
The new name, announced in January 2023, acknowledges the broad impact of creative practice in—and beyond—the arts. This progression in name, and critically our mission, enables us to stay closely connected to our existing members and open to the possibility of new members and alliances that expand our opportunities to fuse arts, creativity, community, citizens, and the economy.
CreativeOhio, also captures the spirit of our work, “A Power Beyond One.” Working collectively and collaboratively—statewide and locally—we can secure the public policies and investment needed to advance creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship throughout Ohio, and in so doing build a strong, sustainable creative sector.
