ART Matters, A Grass Roots Symposium on Why Arts Matters

EPIC Inspires announced its inaugural event “ART Matters, Dayton Art and Design Symposium” to be held on February 28, 2025, from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM at The Tank Theatre inside the historic Dayton Arcade.

Renowned artists, architects, designers, city leaders, and creative visionaries will come together to explore opportunities for artists and the economic impact and importance art has at the intersections of innovation, culture, and community. Dayton Mayor Jeffrey J. Mims, Jr., will provide opening remarks, and closing remarks will be made by Dayton City Manager Shelley Dickstein. The keynote address “Empowering Creativity: Advancing Art and Design in Ohio” will be presented by Donna Collins, executive director of the Ohio Arts Council.

The goal of this event is to educate the community on why art matters and provide inspiration to those who seek art as a profession, while elevating the effect art can have on the Dayton metropolitan area. Attendees will discover the power of art to inspire, challenge, and connect through engaging, thought-provoking discussions designed to spark new perceptions and foster collaboration across disciplines. Presentations featuring diverse experts will illuminate how industries can benefit from integrating artistic perspectives and reveal ways to cultivate successful partnerships with artists. Conversations will explore strategies for artists to position themselves as valuable collaborators in nontraditional spaces and delve into innovative ways art can coexist with various fields to drive creativity, alliances, and economic growth. 

Dana Wiley, owner of the Dana L. Wiley Gallery and president of EPIC Inspires, LLC, said, “Initiating this art symposium is an important step in building a bridge where artists, ideas, and communities meet in collaboration to inspire and redefine the boundaries of creativity. My hope is that we can cultivate opportunities for creatives, ensuring their success, as they are the foundation for vibrant and dynamic communities.”

Organized by EPIC Inspires and sponsored by CreativeFuse, Sinclair Community College, Taft Law Firm, and Wright State University, the symposium will feature nine breakout sessions for attendees to select from, including two panel discussions exploring opportunities for artists across industries and the current state of artmaking in 2025. Featured presenters and panelists are industry leaders comprised of Michael Roediger, director and CEO of The Dayton Art Institute, Lisa Hanson, president and CEO of Culture Works, Frances Jo Hamilton, director of revitalization at Heritage Ohio, and Brandon Ragland, artistic director of the Dayton Ballet, among many others.

“This symposium pulls together artists, builders, and creators to talk about how art matters in their respective fields, but also to talk about why art matters, period, full stop,” said Dayton Mayor Jeffrey J. Mims, Jr.

Tickets are $20.00 for students and $65.00 for the general public and include a boxed lunch from Tony & Pete’s. A networking reception will be held at the Dana L. Wiley Gallery in The Dayton Arcade following the event at 4:15 PM, where attendees can meet and greet the guest speakers. To get more details about “ART Matters, Dayton Art and Design Symposium,” and purchase tickets, visit: Eventbrite.

EPIC Inspires is a grassroots initiative launched by community members with passion for the arts and a desire to explore the Educational, Promotional, Inspirational, and Connective impact of the arts. The EPIC Inspires mission is to unify Dayton’s dedicated arts community through curated exhibitions, special performances, and collaborative experiences. We aim to present Dayton as a vibrant hub of creativity in all its diversity to celebrate the art and artists in this metropolitan area.