Getting Creative

Written By Game Day
CreativeOhio is the statewide voice for Ohio’s creative sector. With over 130 member organizations, we provide leadership, advocacy, and support to strengthen and enhance Ohio through arts, culture, and creativity.
The CreativeOhio Advocacy Leadership Institute is made possible with support from The George Gund Foundation, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Greater Columbus Arts Council, and Edwards Companies.
For more information visit creativeoh.org.

CreativeOhio has announced the selection of six arts leaders from the Cincinnati area for the inaugural CreativeOhio Advocacy Leadership Institute (ALI). This innovative program, launching in May 2025, will equip participants with advocacy skills, legislative insights, and statewide connections to champion Ohio’s creative sector. These leaders are among a cohort of 25, representing 15 cities throughout the state.

The selected Cincinnati-area cohort members are:

  • Justin Brookhart, Executive Director, BLINK / Senior VP of Cultural Economy, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber

  • Sara Clark, Director of Development, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

  • Gee Horton, Artist/Founder, Gee Horton Studios

  • Colleen Houston, CEO & Artistic Director, ArtWorks

  • Kristin Riepenhoff Zelinskas, Program Officer, Greater Cincinnati Foundation

  • Christina Vassallo, Alice & Harris Weston Executive Director, Contemporary Arts Center

“These Cincinnati-area leaders exemplify the strength and impact of the arts in Southwest Ohio,” said Sarah Sisser, Executive Director & CEO of CreativeOhio. “Their participation in this program will further empower them to advocate for the arts, ensuring that creativity continues to be a driver of economic growth and cultural vibrancy in our state.”

The CreativeOhio Advocacy Leadership Institute, which runs from May to October 2025, provides participants with hands-on workshops, site visits to cultural hubs, and in-depth discussions on legislative processes, public funding, and advocacy strategies. The program is designed to cultivate a new generation of advocacy champions dedicated to strengthening Ohio’s creative economy.

“As CAC embraces our mission to be a lab for understanding ourselves, others, and the world around us through the creation and experience of all contemporary art forms, it is an exciting time to join arts leaders from around Cincinnati and the state of Ohio to help strengthen the voice of the arts sector in Cincinnati and beyond,” said Vassallo.

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