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Culture Works New Year’s Eve party celebrates 50 years of Dayton arts advocacy

From Rodney Veal's Dec. 15, 2023 arts column: "Culture Works, the Dayton region’s United Arts Fund and Arts Service Agency, has been a valuable member of the region’s arts ecosystem and has provided these services for fifty years. Corporations and individuals have contributed to Culture Works over the past five decades and that support has filtered through every aspect of our diverse arts wilderness. This support has helped nourish our arts community to its current vibrant state." (CONTRIBUTED)

From Rodney Veal's Dec. 15, 2023 arts column: "Culture Works, the Dayton region’s United Arts Fund and Arts Service Agency, has been a valuable member of the region’s arts ecosystem and has provided these services for fifty years. Corporations and individuals have contributed to Culture Works over the past five decades and that support has filtered through every aspect of our diverse arts wilderness. This support has helped nourish our arts community to its current vibrant state." (CONTRIBUTED)
What to Know
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Dec 22, 2023
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Culture Works, Dayton’s longtime and significant arts fundraising and advocacy organization, will celebrate its 50th anniversary Sunday, Dec. 31 at the Dayton Arcade.

Founded as the Dayton Performing Arts Fund, Culture Works began life as the principal fundraiser for the Dayton Ballet Company, the Dayton Opera Association and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Association. In 1994 the non-profit organization notably defined its mission as “funding, advocacy, and service to inspire, support, and sustain arts and culture in the Dayton Region.” As the united arts fund and arts service agency, Culture Works raises community funding for arts organizations through its annual Campaign for the Arts and also serves as the partner to government agencies like the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District to administer grant funding.

“I am proud of the things Culture Works has accomplished in the last 50 years,” said Lisa Hanson, Culture Works President & CEO, in a news release. “Artists and arts and cultural organizations strengthen our well-being, nourish our diversity and identity, drive our economy, beautify our region and enrich our lives.”

From Rodney Veal's Dec. 15, 2023 arts column: "Culture Works, the Dayton region’s United Arts Fund and Arts Service Agency, has been a valuable member of the region’s arts ecosystem and has provided these services for fifty years. Corporations and individuals have contributed to Culture Works over the past five decades and that support has filtered through every aspect of our diverse arts wilderness. This support has helped nourish our arts community to its current vibrant state." (CONTRIBUTED)

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The anniversary will be celebrated at the organization’s New Year’s Eve party, which will begin at 9 p.m. The event will include music by crabswithoutlegs and DJ Isicle plus dancing, food, drinks, and a toast at midnight in a keepsake champagne flute.

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Curtis Bowman, director of engagement for Culture Works and New Year’s Eve committee chairperson, says diversity was key in planning the festivities.

“For the future of the arts, we have to start thinking about who the arts represent and whose voices we are including, and I wanted to make sure that New Year’s Eve represented a space for everyone to participate,” Bowman said. “The committee (consists) of business and arts people across different demographics with different ages and ethnicities. I hope people come to this special 50th anniversary event and say that it was really diverse and really captured a lot of Dayton.”

Tickets are $125. Dayton Arcade is located at 35 W. Fourth St., Dayton. For more information, visit cultureworks.org.

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About the Author

Russell Florence Jr. is team leader/coordinator of Lifestyles/Dayton.com. He has been an arts/lifestyles reporter for Dayton Daily News since 2012. He formerly served on the Dayton Daily News Community Board of Contributors and assisted the Dayton Daily News Editorial Board. He received his BA in mass communications from Wright State University.