About ORBI

The Ohio River Border Initiative is something new in the world of state arts programs. The Initiative is not an organization. It is not a government agency. ORBI is a creative way for the state arts agencies of West Virginia and Ohio to support the arts community in the Ohio River valley. ORBI’s programs are open to artists, arts groups and community arts programs in all Ohio and West Virginia counties that touch the Ohio River. These counties include: Wayne, Cabell, Mason, Jackson, Wood, Pleasants, Tyler, Wetzel, Marshall, Ohio, Brooke, Hancock in West Virginia, and Lawrence, Gallia, Meigs, Athens, Washington, Monroe, Belmont, Jefferson, Columbiana in Ohio. Click here to see a map of the ORBI region.

ORBI is a funding program. Since 1994, ORBI has awarded a total of more than $450,000 in grant funding to a wide variety of projects, artists and community groups in West Virginia and Ohio counties that border the Ohio River. The deadline for our annual grant program is on or around February 1 of every year. Ten to fifteen grants are awarded every year. The maximum grant award is $3,000 to any one group or artist. Grants are awarded for projects that actively involve artists, audiences and communities on both sides of the Ohio River.

ORBI is always looking for new ideas. We have annual workshops, and now this web site, that encourage arts activists in the Ohio River valley tell us how we can do a better job of helping them get what they need.

ORBI can help solve problems. We want ORBI to be a central “clearinghouse” for new ideas about building stronger ties across the Ohio River among artists and arts groups.

ORBI has one of the largest and most comprehensive arts database in the region. We can help put you in touch with potential partners, presenters and performers.

This web site is another way for ORBI to help bring together the arts communities of West Virginia and Ohio across the Ohio River.