In late 2016, a group of people came together — some experienced professionals, some accomplished artists, some grass roots organizers, and some just everyday citizens, but all of whom were interested in the Arts — and and worked to create a formal Arts advocacy presence in our community. We didn’t know it at the time, but Gahanna was one of the last cities in central Ohio to establish a formal Arts presence. Some surrounding communities even had two! But as we began to research, we discovered how much potential there was for a Gahanna Area Arts Council, and how much work it would take to get us there. We met with Arts Councils from all across the country, as well as other active community groups right here in our hometown, and asked them for their best advice. And we consistently heard the same phrase: “You can’t do it alone.”

By mid 2017, about eight months into our research, we realized exactly how our community could flourish. While other Arts Councils might have set themselves up in a silo in an attempt to distinguish themselves from the pack, ours had a unique opportunity: Just as life in Gahanna was incomplete without a proper Arts presence, the creative community of Columbus was incomplete without a collaborator in Gahanna. And how perfect, because what are any of us on our own? It’s only when we come together that we create magic.

By January 2018, it came time to choose a symbol to represent our organization, and this is what stood out to us. On our own, we can’t do much. We’re one half of one whole. But as soon as we’re connected, we’re complete, and there’s no stopping what a creative community can do. We selected a simple square with one half of each of our letters, G A A C. At first, it might not look like much. But as they connect, each square completes its neighbor, until we’ve built an endless, seamless quilt that represents everyone in the Gahanna Arts. This mission isn’t about an art. It’s about the collective Arts. This movement isn’t about one of us. it’s about all of us.