About

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. Arts leaders noticed the expansion of the Ohio Arts Council. The combination of newly available state support and Martie MacDonell’s inclusive leadership style made for a powerful combination that ignited a mutual passion among residents. They began to dream and never looked back. 

 

Civic leaders recognized the projects complimented the other realms of community—education, economic development, employment, and so on. In short, arts with community purpose enhanced Lima’s well-being.

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Beyond Our Imagination chronicles the founding era of community arts in Lima and Allen County and its enduring legacy. 

 

Written in an informal narrative style, the authors share the twists and turns of: hosting professional dancers in the classrooms to enhance learning through the use of movement; calling the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce for a favor — a free Willie Nelson concert; the epic nine year effort to build a civic center; heritage projects that nourished community pride and economic development; and a three year arts-based civic dialogue project that addressed civic concerns.

 

Wayne Lawson, former director of Ohio Arts Council wrote in the preface, these projects were daring.

 

Maryo Gard Ewell, a nationally recognized arts leader wrote in her foreword, the Lima story is a parable for the next generation of arts and civic leaders in Lima and nationally.