Earlier this week, Playhouse Square was honored to receive a $16,000 Ohio History Fund grant supporting an initiative to inventory, index, catalog, and digitize select items from the not-for-profit performing arts center’s archives. To preserve its rich history and make it available to researchers and the public, Playhouse Square will collaborate with experts at the Cleveland Public Library and others.
“The history of Playhouse Square is fascinating,” said Tom Einhouse, Vice President of Facilities and Capital. “This grant will help us preserve the story from the how, when and why of the five original theaters being built to Playhouse Square’s involvement in downtown development and becoming a premier destination for Broadway tours. We are grateful to the Ohio History Fund for recognizing the importance of this project and their support.”
Members of the History Fund review panel noted that this project, successfully executed, will set an example for other arts institutions to assiduously preserve the materials of their histories.
Now in its 10th year, the Ohio History Fund is a competitive matching grants program that is one of six "tax check-off" funds found on Ohio's income tax return forms. It’s funded entirely through Ohio taxpayers’ voluntary contributions.
“The Ohio History Fund allows us to preserve and share Ohio stories by supporting history projects all over the state,” said Burt Logan, Executive Director & CEO of the Ohio History Connection. “Local history helps us understand where we came from and gives us a sense of identity and place, inspiring pride in our communities.”
Information about the history of Playhouse Square and its impact on the city is available at playhousesquare.org/history.
The Playhouse Square Archives Digitization Project is funded in part by the Ohio History Fund, a grant program of the Ohio History Connection. Your donations to the Ohio History Fund make this program possible.