Organizations across the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys are collaborating to put more of an emphasis on arts in Youngstown and the surrounding areas.


They plan to begin with their website, theculturalalliance.org, which pinpoints different types of arts that both Youngstown and the world has to offer.


"You get on a website and you just kind of check it out," said YSU President Jim Tressel. "And you're like ooh I like that blouse, right? well, we want them to shop for the arts," he said.


Officials say soon we'll start to see more art displayed in the area as well as more local shows and exhibits.


"The more outside people can see what our community holds, rather than just Millcreek Park that we have," said John Cox, Board President at the Youngstown Playhouse. "We can start to build up some things along the riverwalk way now we have a bigger arts community, that is attractive to younger people," he said


President Tressel tells 21 News they're ultimately looking to create a more vibrant arts community that will bring more people to the valley. A collaboration with other entities will allow them to cover more ground.


"The vision is to create as many quality activities for the folks in the region, for the young people in the region to get involved with and to experience, but to do it efficiently," Tressel said.


Other leaders appreciate this movement as they hope it will relieve some of the frustrations they face.


"One of the things that is sometimes frustrating in our community is building an audience," said Louis Zona, Executive Director at the Butler Institute of American Art. "You know, we might hae something very special at the museum and while we try to get the word out, the word doesn't get out like it should," he said.


Now cultural leaders are hoping that these efforts will be more wide spread.