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 Updated: 3/1/2013 
OSU Urban Arts Space
Columbus, Ohio
Description

The Ohio State University Urban Arts Space challenges our ways of thinking about the performing and visual arts and their role in everyday life through conversation, art-making, and experimentation. Urban Arts Space encourages transformative experiences that expand worldviews, offer hands-on practical experiences in the arts and education, and develop new career skills to reflect an entrepreneurial culture.

Mission

Located in the heart of downtown Columbus, the OSU Urban Arts Space joins the university with the state of Ohio and the world, functioning as an arts laboratory for Ohio State faculty and community artists and serving as a professional launching pad for Ohio State students.

History

OSU Urban Arts Space is a part of the revitalization of downtown Columbus, located in the "heart," between the Columbus Commons park and the Scioto Mile. A 10,000 square foot exhibition and non-traditional performance space, the Space welcomes over 35,000 patrons a year.

At the start of the new millennium, The Ohio State University's arts units began to explore ways in which they could better prepare students, especially those in art, design, and art education for their chosen careers as artists, designers, and arts administrators, while forging a link to downtown Columbus.

OSU Urban Arts Space is part of the Arts Initiative, which is embedded in the interdisciplinary core and curricular programming in the College of Arts and Sciences. As one of multiple gallery spaces, OSU Urban Arts Space focuses on supporting co-curricular activity and community partnerships. Critical to our success is the partnership between the OSU Urban Arts Space and faculty from the Arts and Humanities. It is this partnership that allows the Space to carry out its mission of teaching, experimentation, exhibition, and community engagement.

As part of OSU Urban Arts Space's organizational structure, two committees steer the activities and everyday happenings of the Space: the Community Partners Group and the Project Committee. The Community Partners Group serves as the advocacy coalition for the Space and is comprised of representatives from the arts community and those involved with downtown revitalization. Each year the Project Committee, made up of faculty, staff, students and representatives from community arts organizations, meet and select proposals and help plan exhibitions and related programs for the upcoming year.

Programs

The OSU Urban Arts Space Education Department is dedicated to fostering substantial interactions between the greater Columbus community and our diverse performing and visual arts. Through a variety of programming we strive to promote equal access to quality arts education. By means of an interactive approach we nurture critical, creative thinking and instill a foundation for enduring art expression and appreciation.

In addition to our tours, the Space has learning partnerships with various private and public academic institutions. These partnerships produce interdisciplinary projects and educational experiences as well as opportunities for community engagement. Over the course of multiple visits, students tour the gallery, participate in a hands-on activity, and practice critical analysis of artworks.
Art Explorations is an interactive art education series that provides an opportunity for children ages 4 to 8 and their families to create art in a gallery setting, with a goal of instilling a sense of art appreciation. Held on the second Saturday of every month, Art Explorations encourages an interest in the arts and aims to develop participants’ cognitive skills, self-esteem and self-expression. This free family programming provides opportunities to develop a range of artistic techniques with visiting artists and explore current exhibits at the OSU Urban Arts Space. To read more about Art Explorations,
For those who cannot make it to the Space, our exhibitions go mobile to provide accessible art experiences for everyone. Our education team will work with you to create a lesson plan that fits around the needs and wants of your demographic. To schedule, or for more information, please contact our Education Coordinator at uaseducation@osu.edu.
We welcome and encourage faculty to teach classes at or in conjunction with the OSU Urban Arts Space. We offer two methods for interested faculty members to submit class ideas, depending on the type and the commitment of the class. If the class is a one-time event we suggest submitting a Space Request/Event Rental Form. If professors would like to propose an ongoing program, for example: a semester-long interactive theatre class, please submit a Preliminary Project Proposal as part of our yearly call for entries.
Services
Accessible Tours

Several tours are offered that take into consideration the characteristics of a wide variety of disabilities. These tours are led by specially trained guides and include:

Specially Tailored Tours:

These tours are available by prearrangement for individuals or groups from the mental health community as well as those with Autism, Alzheimer's, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, or other unique perspectives. Themed tours are developed around the needs and interests of the participants and can focus on any aspect of the exhibitions, with appropriate touchable and visual materials to supplement descriptions and discussions.

Podcast Audio Tours:

Starting April 22nd, 2009, audio tours will present the opportunity to learn more about an exhibition, or take a self-guided tour of the space. You will be able to subscribe to our free audio podcasts for use on your mp3 player or you can borrow one of our iPods during your visit.

Sign Language Interpreted Tours:

Tours of exhibitions are available by prearrangement for individuals or groups who are deaf or hearing impaired. Printed scripts of audio tours may be available by request.

Join our team!

At Urban Arts Space we seek students and volunteers who are interested in making a meaningful contribution to our mission. As a bustling center, all team members are expected to work well independently, take initiative, and be ready to learn and take direction. Most importantly, applicants should be passionate about fostering the arts and humanities...but you don't have to be an 'artist' to apply! Any high school, undergraduate, or graduate student is encouraged to apply for a position at the Space. You do not need to be a student to volunteer!

Event Rental
Group Tours
Address
50 West Town Street
Columbus, OH 43215
phone: 614-292-8861
e-mail: uas@osu.edu
home page: www.uas.osu.edu
Report Incorrect Data
Submit Events
Hours of Operation
Tuesday - Wednesday, Friday - Saturday11 AM - 6 PM
Thursday11 AM - 8 PM
Museum Type(s)
Art
Culture
University
Staff
DISCLAIMER
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MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

March 29 - 31, 2025

Athens, Ohio

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

Saturday, March 29 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Athens, Ohio

Hosted by: Ohio Museums Association

"Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential

The heart of innovation is transformation – shaking up our established way of doing things by introducing new methods, new ideas, and new approaches to both obstacles and opportunities

Museums across Ohio are not just adapting, but innovating to reach their full potential and better serve their communities. No matter their role, museum professionals are introducing forward-thinking perspectives and initiating creative solutions to launch the field into a future where museums can remain trusted and relevant community cornerstones

How can your museum stay true to mission and serve your community in new and meaningful ways? How can we as museum professionals meet the challenges of the future with reinvigorated enthusiasm

Join us in Athens, March 29-31 as we explore these topics and more at the 2025 Ohio Museums Association’s Annual Conference: Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential.

For more information, please email oma@ohiohistory.org.

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

March 30 - 31, 2025

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

Sunday, March 30 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Raleigh, North Carolina

Hosted by: North Carolina Museums Council

Museums Unwalled: Expanding Horizon

This theme highlights the importance of museums as dynamic entities that engage with communities, foster education, drive cultural change and often go beyond the building itself. By focusing on areas such as community engagement, digital and virtual presence, interdisciplinary collaborations, sustainability, accessibility, and cultural diversity, we aim to provide a comprehensive and enriching experience for all attendees

The primary objective is to provide a platform for museum professionals and others working in the industry to share ideas, best practices, resources and innovative approaches that demonstrate how museums can reach audiences in and beyond our physical spaces. We aim to inspire attendees to think broadly about the potential of their institutions and to foster a spirit of innovation and community engagement.

By facilitating discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, the conference will empower current and future museum professionals and to expand their impact, embrace new challenges, and create meaningful connections with their audiences and communities.

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

March 31 - April 3, 2025

Washington, Arkansas

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

Monday, March 31 - Thursday, April 3, 2025

Historic Washington State Park

Washington, Arkansas

Hosted by: Arkansas Museums Association

"From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums

This year, the AMA conference theme is "From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums" As museum professionals we learn and use a wide variety of tools and skills every day

The Arkansas Museums Association is planning its 2025 Annual Conference, which will be hosted by Historic Washington State Park on March 31-April 3, 2025.

The goal of the conference is to support and foster the museum community through a mix of speakers as well as workshops, practical and informative presentations, in-depth discussions, and examples of projects and initiatives that are relevant to museums in Arkansas. Arkansas Museum Association members take ownership in the conference experience as presenters, speakers, panelists, facilitators, and workshop leaders.

For more information, please email arkansasmuseums@gmail.com.

New York Museum Association 2025 Conference in Ithaca, NY

April 5 - 8, 2025

Ithaca, New York

New York Museum Association 2025 Conference in Ithaca, NY

Saturday, April 5 - Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Ithaca Downtown Conference Center

Ithaca, New York

Hosted by: Museum Association of New York

Cultivating Community: Looking In, Reaching Ou

Who are the members of our communities? How can we evaluate our internal structures to help us better understand our organization, define our audiences, and serve our communities? How do we bring all communities together to support our field? How can we support and develop our internal community of staff, volunteers, and board members? How can we advocate for funding that meets operational capacity needs and includes equitable staff support? What changes do we need to make to prioritize the health and well-being of our museum workforce that will support the longevity and sustainability of our institutions and strengthen our ability to build meaningful community relationships

MANY presents conference sessions, workshops, panel discussions, facilitated discussions, and peer-to-peer learning experiences focusing on our 2025 conference theme, Cultivating Community: Looking In, Reaching Out. We will be gathering in Ithaca, in the Southern Tier Region of our state, located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ (the Cayuga Nation)

MANY’s annual conference helps museum professionals build a network to share perspectives, tools, and skills that develop excellence across the field. Our goal is to nurture a community of practice, advance institutional change, and create an inclusive and expansive New York team of collaborators who learn together.

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