Mission Statement:"The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically."

Vision Statement: "Providing leadership and voice for the arts to transform people and communities."

The Ohio Arts Council was created in 1965 to "foster and encourage the development of the arts and assist the preservation of Ohio's cultural heritage." This is accomplished by the Council in two primary methods; first, through the various grant funding programs that the Council operates to provide support to artists and to make arts activities available to a broad segment of Ohio's public; and secondly, by providing services that help to enhance the growth of the arts. There are a total of 7 different grant programs and a variety of service programs operated by the Council.