The Ohio Artist Registry (OAR) is an exciting opportunity for artists to share their work, connect with the creative community, and establish an online presence—all on a free, virtual platform! The OAR encourages artists working in all art forms, throughout Ohio and beyond, to create a profile, which allows them to better promote themselves and their work. Being listed in the OAR provides artists with new opportunities to share their work with clients, galleries, patrons, and audiences. A listing in the OAR does not confer an endorsement, approval, or verification by the Ohio Arts Council.
For more information, contact Kathy Signorino, artist programs director, at kathy.signorino@oac.ohio.gov or 614-728-6140.
2025 Ohio Artist Registry Juried Exhibition
Dale Shields
Professor Iforcolor.orgTheatreBio
Dale Ricardo Shields is a highly accomplished African American actor, director, producer, and educator with a distinguished career in theatre and academia. He is recognized for his profound impact on the lives of his students and his unwavering dedication to preserving and promoting Black/Diversity theatre history and professional artistic culture.
Director, Stage manager, and Actor (Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and Regional). As an actor, he has appeared on Saturday Night Live, Another World, Guiding Light, The Cosby Show, the ITV television series Special Needs, and National commercials and films.
He is a member of the Actors Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the American Guild of Musical Artists performance unions,
Professor Shields began his artistic academic career in New York City at Playwrights Horizon, The South Bronx Action Theatre, MindBuilders, and the teaching staff at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre (New York Shakespeare Festival) for six years. He represented the United States for Theatre Young Audiences at the ASSITEJ Theatre Festival in London, England.
As an actor, he studied acting at The Negro Ensemble Company (Anderson Johnson), The New Federal Theatre (Hal Scott, – Dick Anthony Williams).
The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award: Recipient in 2017.
Paul Robeson Award: Recipient in 2021 (jointly presented by the Actors’ Equity Association and Actors’ Equity Foundation).
Legend Award: Received from Ohio University in 2022.
ENCORE AWARD / The Actors Fund:
“Educational Program of the Year” awards as a university professor.
The HistoryMakers archives: Interviewed and included in The HistoryMakers archives, permanently housed in the Library of Congress.
He has taught and been a visiting artist at Ohio University, Wayne State University, The South Bronx Community Theatre, Karamu House, The Cleveland School of the Arts, The College of Wooster, Denison University, Macalester College, Susquehanna University, and SUNY Potsdam.
B.F.A and M.F.A – Ohio University. [Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society]
Artist Statement
“My artistic work purpose is to widen the cultural radius towards imagining that inspiration itself, is a constitutional right afforded to all students and audiences of the Arts, to have world access to the impulse of creativity, unafraid of its beauty, diversity, grace and truth.”