By Jennifer Sadler

Columbus is a smart city. With world-leading research institutions such as The Ohio State University and Battelle Memorial Institute, and our proximity to innovative global companies such as Procter & Gamble, Goodyear and Honda of America, Columbus has what it takes to compete on a global scale.

Columbus is an open city. Our dynamic arts scene and vibrant culture, passion for sports and eclectic mix of people—all make for an attractive place to live and do business. These elements, along with our legacy of innovation and research, allow Columbus to make an impact on the world stage.

200Columbus, the city’s Bicentennial celebration, has presented a year-long wealth of opportunities to reflect and honor the past, the present and to illuminate what’s yet to come for our great city. Though we are moving into the last few months of 2012, 200Columbus celebrations are still going strong—with the final phase focusing on our bright and promising future.

Created as part of the 200Columbus celebrations, idUS (pronounced eye-DEE-uhs), kicks off on September 28 and runs through October 8, and will bring the Columbus community together for an unprecedented multi-day experience of innovation and design. According to the organizers for idUS, these 11 days of groundbreaking events are all designed to “let the world in on a secret that we’ve known for years—that Columbus is a creative hot bed; smart, open-minded and full of big ideas.”

IdUS is a carefully curated collection of unique and innovative programming and independently produced events that will showcase art and design, food, science, technology and more. IdUS embodies the 200Columbus vision of our city’s future and celebrates where we’re going—and the timing for the event couldn’t be better.

The global spotlight is about to shine on Columbus as we host the 2012 EcoSummit, the first time ever the event will take place in the United States. Thanks to collaborators at The Ohio State University and MORPC who lured the conference to the city, the EcoSummit, which runs from September 30 – October 5, will bring 1500 to 1600 delegates from 75 countries to Columbus to hear presentations from the world's premier ecologists and environmental scientists and practitioners. IdUS events will offer a platform for Columbus to share our legacy of world-class innovation and design with international visitors and crystallize our reputation as a smart and open city.

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ColumbusArts.com Profile: COLUMBUS ARTS POP-UP PROJECT

As the most comprehensive online events guide and resource for arts and culture in central Ohio, ColumbusArts.com offers a virtual guide through the Columbus art world with a searchable database of events, concerts, performances and more. ColumbusArts.com is an engaging place for artists and arts organizations to share what they do, with an average of 30,000 users per month. The ColumbusArts.com Artist Directory allows visual, performing and literary artists to create a profile and portfolio to showcase their work—for free—and enables art enthusiasts to easily search for and connect with them. Our monthly ColumbusArts.com artist profile series features profiles and interviews with a few of the many talented individuals who make up central Ohio’s thriving creative community.   

As part of the 200Columbus celebration, Columbus has enjoyed a year-long surge of fun and thought-provoking art in public spaces--in full view and in unexpected places like plazas, parks, streets and alleys in the downtown core and the riverfront. In this spirit of celebrating our city's weath of creativity and diverse character, GCAC has partnered with Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District (SID), and 13 local artists to create the the Columbus Arts Pop-Up Project (CAP-UP).  CAP-UP will delight downtown visitors, workers and residents with series of installation window displays by area artists who were chosen through a juried process to participate.  The art projects will be installed September 17-22 and range from quirky and fun to dramatic and beautiful.  Viewers will experience a peek into windows around Capitol Square that take a look toward the future of innovation and design, or a glimpse into the history of what has made Columbus great.

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