RYAN BUNCH, The Arts Commission

Ryan Bunch is the communications and outreach coordinator at The Arts Commission in Toledo. After working as one of the youngest arts and entertainment editors for the Toledo City Paper at 23, he began what was supposed to be a one-year position at The Arts Commission in 2010. Bunch then worked to stay in his new position full time by assisting with grant writing to fund it. He has also worked as the music editor for Toledo.com since 2009.

After growing up in a small town in Michigan without a lot of support for his passions for the arts and writing, Bunch dedicated himself to creating a strong arts community in Toledo. He has received several awards for his work including being a guest panelist for Cleveland’s Creative Workforce Fellowship grant program, as well as being voted Best Literary Artist in 2012 in the Toledo City Paper’s best-of contest.

Bunch has also received recognition from the City of Toledo for founding 419 Day in 2012. In 2005, he helped co-found Artomatic 419, an arts event that has inspired others in downtown Toledo.