Visionary Community Arts Projects in Lima, Ohio 1975-2003

In the mid-1970s, residents of Lima and Allen County, Ohio, deliberated on how to respond to declining manufacturing. Resources were limited in West Central Ohio—a region that is more rural than urban, but they would not let the spirit of their community wither.

With a bit of serendipity, the role of the arts in communities across the country also began to shift. Lima resident and local arts supporter Martha “Martie” MacDonell and others noticed the expansion of the Ohio Arts Council into program opportunities for education, economic development, and enhancement of communities’ overall well-being. The combination of newly available state support and Martie’s inclusive leadership style made a powerful combination that ignited a mutual passion among residents. The local arts leaders immediately began to dream.

Written in an informal narrative style, Beyond Our Imagination chronicles the founding era of community arts in Lima and Allen County and its enduring legacy. Martie and Mary “Molly” Weis share memories of seventy former colleagues.

Member Price: $18.00

NonMember Price: $20.00

Author: Martha S. MacDonell and Mary F. Weis
Book Info: 137 pp, hardcover (2002)
ISBN: 978-1-7331598-0-7
Product # : BOICVA