OMA Award Spotlight – Toledo Museum of Art

Recognizing excellence in Ohio museums during Arts and Humanities Month

To help celebrate October as Arts and Humanities Month, and to kick-off the call for nominations for this year's OMA awards, the Ohio Museums Association is highlighting our 2016 OMA Award of Achievement winners throughout the month with our OMA Award Spotlight. 

Click here to see our previous award spotlight articles.

The Awards of Achievement are presented to reflect the outstanding quality and caliber of work by Ohio museums and their professionals in two categories: Institutional Achievement Awards and Individual Achievement Awards.

Nominations for these awards are incredibly detailed. This in-depth process helps to illustrate how these institutions and individuals have gone “above and beyond” the normal call of duty to support their institution, serve their public and advance the cause of the museum community.

Each year, the review panel is overwhelmed by the outstanding projects, innovative programming and dedication to our field as exhibited in each of the institutional and individual nominations. Congratulations again to each of our award winners! 

Today we'll be closing out the month-long celebration by featuring our winner for the 2016 award for Institution of the Year (over $500,000).

Toledo Museum of Art

In 2016 the Toledo Museum of Art laid out a main objective: to make strides towards greater community inclusion, drawing in audiences who may have seen the Museum as an intimidating place.

Committed to extending art experiences both in the museum and beyond its walls, TMA developed new exhibits and art initiatives that attracted 457,000 visitors in fiscal year 2016 and sparked increased collaboration with other local arts organizations, like the Toledo Ballet and the Toledo Symphony Orchestra.

Citing exhibits like The Rise of Sneaker Culture, Play Time, Harmonic Motion, The Red Ball Project and Indigenous Beauty: Masterworks of American Indian Art, Toledo Mayor Paula Hick-Hudson noted “TMA has made numerous other deliberate and strategic efforts to diversify its exhibitions and staff, to appeal to more Toledoans’ varying interests, and to extend art experiences into our community.”

Marc Folk, Executive Director of the Great Toledo Arts Commission, lauded the museum for its commitment to the community through another program – ArtReach – which provides arts-based educational services to under-served populations, such as those in medical treatment, survivors of trauma, people with physical or mental life challenges, veterans, seniors in care facilities and more.

By developing programs and exhibits which target across age, gender, racial and economic divisions, the Toledo Art Museum has shown itself to be not just relevant, but an integral part of their community, playing a critical role in the quality of life for the city.

Do you know an institution that embodies the best of what Ohio museums can be?  Be sure to nominate them for the 2017 award for Institution of the Year! Learn more here.

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