The Franklin county Commission is expected Tuesday to approve $600,000 to help local arts and cultural organizations stay afloat.
Opera Columbus Executive Director Press Southworth heads up a group of 15 of central Ohio's largest arts groups. He says the county money is part of a program called "Thrive in 5." The program began last year as 5-year-long effort to shore up arts groups while studies were done to find long term funding solutions.
Southworth says the funding made a big difference in 2008, but it will likely be even more important this year.
Press Southworth is president of the Columbus Cultural Leadership Consortium which includes the executive directors of 15 of the largest Columbus area arts organizations including the Columbus Museum of Art, The Jazz Arts Group, the King Arts Complex, ProMusica, the Wexner Center and Thurber House.