FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Canton, Ohio): August 25, 2022, Canton, Ohio – The Canton Museum of Art (CMA), one of Northeast Ohio’s premier American art museums, is honored to be awarded a new Inspire! grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This grant will support the Museum’s innovative Museum To Go program, which provides free, virtual exhibit tours and multidisciplinary hands-on art making lessons to fourth through sixth grade students in public school classrooms throughout Stark County. For this grant, IMLS received 218 applications requesting $9.3 million in funds. From those requests, IMLS selected 59 projects to receive funding totaling $2.5 million.
CMA Director and CEO Max Barton II said, “We are honored to have been awarded this competitive grant, which recognizes the Museum’s excellence in our work with Stark County students. Along with the support of other funders, like the Ohio Arts Council, this IMLS grant will support the implementation of the Museum To Go program in the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years.”
Museum To Go is a dynamic program, which brings virtual exhibition tours and multidisciplinary hands-on art lessons into fourth, fifth and sixth grade classrooms, based on Ohio Learning Standards in language arts, math, history, social studies, science, and visual art. Museum To Go integrates high-quality arts education with cross-curricular learning, utilizing the Museum’s exhibitions as a catalyst for fueling creativity, innovation, critical thinking, problem solving, and social and emotional learning.
Lessons include a virtual 360-degree tour of a Canton Museum of Art Permanent Collection exhibit. Class discussions center on key artworks, and how they correlate to cross-curricular content through engaging interactive activities and hands-on art making experiences. Lessons are taught by CMA-Trained Art Educators and followed Ohio’s Learning Standards. For each lesson, resource packets are provided to educators and are also available online. Packets include supplemental activities, links to multimedia resources, and lesson plans to further student learning.
Thanks to support from funders like the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Ohio Arts Council, The Hoover Foundation, and the Paparella Family Foundation, the Canton Museum of Art is able to offer this impactful program for free to schools in Stark County.
About The Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grant-making, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow IMLS on Facebook and Twitter
About Canton Museum of Art
Recognized for powerful original exhibitions and national touring exhibitions focused on American art and its influences, the Canton Museum of Art makes the discovery and exploration of art accessible to all. The Museum’s education outreach programs, School of Art classes, and workshops serve thousands of students of all ages. CMA’s acclaimed Collection focuses on American works on paper, primarily watercolors, and contemporary ceramics. CMA’s Artisan Boutique is open during regular Museum hours. Founded in 1935, CMA serves more than 45,000 visitors each year. Visit cantonart.org and follow the Museum on Facebook for updates, or call 330.453.7666 for more information.
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MEDIA: For Additional Information about the grant featured in this News Release, Please Contact Libby Doss, Development Director, at libby@cantonart.org or Danielle Attar, Marketing & Events Director, at danielle@cantonart.org
