Arts Intranet

The following is part of our Business Spotlight series highlighting the work of some of our key business partners. Here, we interview Kathy Romito, Community Outreach Manager at Western Reserve Hospital. Keep reading to learn about this business leader and her connection to the arts!

Do you have a background in the arts? Are you currently a practitioner of the arts?

Professionally, I do not have a background in the arts but I have performed in community theater. I also had a role in the major motion picture Space Camp in 1986. I still receive residual checks. I have an upcoming role as a historic character in a city event called “Vintage Day: A Walk to Remember.”

What was your most meaningful arts experience?

I serve on the board of Collide: Cuyahoga Falls, an arts advocacy organization, and played an integral role in receiving a grant for bringing art into local businesses. Through Akron Community Foundation’s “On the Table” conversation hosted at Western Reserve Hospital, we determined a need to address the lack of diverse artists and accessible art in the community. In response, we launched a project that placed pieces by artists of diverse backgrounds in 16 businesses. This initiative not only highlighted the work of local artists, but it created opportunities for community members to engage with art in unexpected places.

The arts proved to be a powerful way to forge meaningful connections by transcending barriers of class, race, gender, background, and so forth. The project brought people together in new ways that benefited the community by sharing the stories of historically marginalized voices. Moreover, displaying art in businesses served as an accessible entry point for those who might not feel welcomed or comfortable in traditional art spaces.

This project also served as an economic driver by opening the local businesses to new markets and reinvigorating downtown Akron. By creating a map and social media hashtag, community members were exposed to new businesses on their journeys to view the artwork. At the end of the year, some of the businesses even created their own partnerships with artists and arts organizations to display work.

How have you or your company integrated the arts into your business to engage, inspire, or train your employees?

We employ a professional art curator to manage our public art spaces within the hospital, local city government, a public recreation facility, and free-standing clinic. We promote all the artists on social media platforms and host an appreciation dinner annually. Several artists have sold pieces. Additionally, we have a community art space where we work to align ourselves with various community groups, schools, and individual artists looking for a safe and accessible area to share their work. Furthermore, we have brought in local theater companies to perform for staff and the community.

How have you or your company leveraged the arts to set your business apart?

As a result of the work we do in the arts sector, we have been able to stand apart from other businesses. This work has enabled us to receive much public support and media attention. In fact, we received two awards from a local arts organization recognizing our contribution to the arts. More importantly is the role art has played in bringing some peace to our staff. Hospitals are often challenging places to work with illness, difficult diagnoses, and loss. Viewing the art has helped staff, patients, and visitors find joy during a time of need. This certainly contributes to a better workplace environment.

How has your company partnered with the arts to enrich community life and/or advance civic and social priorities?

Arts and culture are key components in sustaining growth of any community. We continually partner on arts projects as well as support the arts through financial contributions. We regularly include artists in our community events. Furthermore, we recently partnered with the local city government, schools, Chamber of Commerce, and an arts organization to create a traveling art display made entirely of coins collected from the community. This award-winning collaboration created two unique pieces which ultimately reflected the values of our city and was able to be viewed by many.