The creative arts are the beating heart of our community. The next generations will never reach their full potential without the opportunity to explore who they are—and who they can become—through dance, music, visual arts, theatre, and martial arts. We exist to enrich the lives of our students and community members within a safe, professional environment as they discover their inner visual artist, musician, dancer, and creator.
For more than 30 years, Richland Academy of the Arts has offered, on average, 230 classes, workshops, master classes, and individual instruction opportunities annually. Along with developing a diverse and highly praised arts education curriculum over the last three decades, the Academy has also played a critical role in the renaissance and redevelopment of downtown Mansfield, Ohio.
After recognizing the enormous talent that existed in Mansfield, founding director, Marianne Cooper, established Richland Academy in 1991. Marianne had a dream to create a community center where individuals of all backgrounds could pursue their creativity and hone their skills. Decades later, community members continue to benefit from opportunities in dance, music, visual arts, theatre, and martial arts.
We have served thousands of students and families over the last 30 years through our Tuition Assistance and Scholarship Program, having awarded over $652,000 to families in need of financial support, as well as more than $34,000 annually to qualifying students in Richland County and surrounding communities. Scholarship awards are funded through community scholarship donations and the Neil Doerman Scholarship Trust at Richland Academy.
In terms of community engagement, class registrations have grown to over 3,000 per year. Annually, 10,000 area residents attend our events.
Richland Academy is funded through a combination of programming fees and various donations from individuals, businesses, corporations, and fundraisers in local, state, and national platforms. The Ohio Arts Council and many other sponsors have strongly supported us for the last 30 years of our operations, for which we are so grateful.
We are committed to artistic culture in all that we do and creating a family-friendly atmosphere for all.
We provide a professional and safe environment from studio to stage, with our instructors continuously striving to model the professional arts experience.
Our creative programming offers a variety of arts experiences and education for all ages. Our focus is on the students and what they create.
As we create an inspiring educational experience, our instructors are passionate about developing artists who will acquire a lifelong love of the arts and learning.
In providing a cooperative spirit to our patrons, we invite our full community to experience the full benefits of engaging with the arts.
We exist to provide quality professional programming and supervision in both Arts Education and Community Schools for students of all ages to set them up for a successful lifelong journey in the arts.
Our mission is to foster, through artistic expression, the creative potential that exists in everyone to enrich the lives of our neighbors, our community, and the world at large.
All of our instructors are highly qualified with varying degrees and experience in their medium. All employees of Richland Academy are professional and passionate about providing quality arts education to all of our students.
Our sponsors make it possible for students to receive quality arts education opportunities and be active members of the Academy community regardless of physical barriers or financial limitations.
Located in beautiful downtown Mansfield, Ohio, our central location allows families and individuals from throughout the region to be a part of our rich artistic culture.
We believe every member of our community should have easy access to the arts. Our 47,000 square foot building is ADA compliant, environmentally conducive, and adaptable to individual needs. Safety is our highest priority and an elevator is available for anyone to use.
RAA has limited parking in front of our building. If parking in our lot is unavailable, there is free parking in the nearby municipal lot or there is street parking at the meters. Meters are free on weekends and free on weekdays after 4pm.
Our building is ADA compliant and there is an elevator for those who need it.
In our commitment to enriching the life of our community through arts education and cultural engagement, we offer unique rental spaces within our beautiful 47,000 square foot building that allow you to create the perfect environment for your special event.
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