Culture

The Clark County Historical Society provides a research facility for local history. The museum includes not only displays, but also a reading room, a small library and research materials.

The Clark County Public Library provides public library services through the main downtown facility along with four branches and three bookmobiles. Within the system, over 340,000 volumes are available for individual enrichment. A 100 seat meeting room is also available to the public.

The Clark State Performing Arts Center was completed in November of 1993. It houses the Kuss Auditorium, the Turner Studio Theater and the Salerno Educational Center. The Center hosts performances by the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Council, Ohio Lyric Theater, and Springfield Civic Theater. There are meeting rooms for conventions, receptions, corporate entertaining, and other events.

CultureFest is an outgrowth from the City's 1996 Study Circles, which brought people together for dialogue on race and ethnic issues. CultureFest is an annual event held in September. This well-established community festival provides continuous entertainment from local choirs, bands, and storytellers. Vendors at CultureFest will include ethnic food and merchandise along with free information booths from area agencies.

The Elderly United Center in the historic City Market provides Springfield's "young at heart" with a modern and comfortable setting for a broad range of educational and recreational activities.

The Ohio Lyric Theater (OLT) of Springfield promotes appreciation and enjoyment of vocal music and lyric theater with a variety of programs. Various programs are Opera for Young Audiences, History of the American Musical, the OLT Adult All-County Community Chorus, the OLT County Children's Chorus, the Annual Christmas Pageant (free to community), musical presentations at the Summer Arts Festival, the talent assistance fund and public performances of musicals and light opera.

The Springfield Arts Council provides an art education program for city and county, public, private and parochial schools, organizes and sponsors the Summer Arts Festival, offers performances in theater and serves as a clearing house for art-related activities, provides information pertaining to those activities, and provides costumes and stage equipment rental. The council offers the Great Entertainment Series of national touring programs in theater and music.

The Springfield Civic Theatre has been providing the Springfield area with quality community theater productions since 1931. The Theater, currently performing in the historic Marketplace council chamber, produces a wide variety of theater ranging from musical comedies to classic dramas. The entire community is invited to participate as actors, stage crew, and, of course, the audiences.

The Springfield Museum of Art has a permanent collection of 19th and 20th century American and French art and traveling loan exhibitions monthly. The Museum provides art classes in drawing, painting, pottery and sculpture for children and adults. It is open to the public free of charge six days a week.

The Springfield Symphony Orchestra is the cultural pride of the area and one of Springfield's greatest assets. Features include the subscription Series and a Christmas Gala, plus many educational concerts, pop concerts, and programs. The attractive programming, professional quality and superb guest artists have gained the raves of critics and enthusiasm of audiences all year round.

The Summer Arts Festival runs from the mid-June through mid-July and virtually takes over the city. All the cultural forces of the city come to a common focus, with music and the performing arts in a continuing round of exhibits, performances and concerts. Much of it is held in the open air and under the stars at Veterans Memorial Park. The festival is made possible through the support of local businesses and citizens who underwrite the evening performances so they may be presented "free" to the public.

Wittenberg University, a major university, is a cultural boon to Springfield, as it is to any community. The University, affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, enrolls approximately 2,280 students and is ranked as one of the top 125 liberal arts colleges in the country. The Wittenberg Series annually brings to campus outstanding speakers, musicians, and artists for the community's enjoyment without charge. Twenty academic departments also produce their own speakers series which are free and open to the public. The Ann Miller Gallery in Koch Hall displays the work of professors and students as well as selected traveling exhibitions. The Department of Music holds student, faculty, and guest artist recitals which the community is invited to attend. The University Theater produces a wide range of drama, comedy, dance and musical works for the enjoyment of all.