Congratulations, 2023 OMA Award Winners!
The Ohio Museums Association has announced the winners of the 2023 OMA Awards of Achievement and 2023 Visual Communication Awards. These winners were recognized during the Annual OMA Awards Dinner, which took place Sunday, April 14 at the Sawmill Creek Resort in conjunction with the Ohio Museums Association's 2024 Annual Conference.
The OMA Awards program is an annual celebration of the outstanding achievement of Ohio museums in visual communications, individual and institutional achievement, and the tireless work museum professionals undertake to help advance Ohio’s museum community both locally, and on a national level.
The Awards of Achievement are divided into 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.
The 2023 Award of Achievement winners are:
Best Exhibition (Under $500,000)
Ashland County Historical Society—“Melanie Miller Dress Exhibit”
Best Exhibition (Over $500,000)
Decorative Arts Center of Ohio—“It's an Honor to Be Here: Ohio Nature Artists in Their Natural State”
Best Exhibition Catalog (Under $500,000)
Columbus Historical Society—“Art of Edoardo Alfieri”
Best Exhibition Catalog (Over $500,000)
Massillon Museum—“John W. Carlson: Set the Twilight Reeling”
Best Community Partnership (Under $500,000)
Ashland County Historical Society—“Trivia at Ohio Fire”
Best Community Partnership (Over $500,000)
Buckeye Imagination Museum—“Optimist Club Park”
Best Education and Outreach (Over $500,000)
Akron Art Museum—“Essential Experiences: Artists as Inventors”
Emerging Museum Professional of the Year
Joy Mistovich—The Butler Institute of American Art
Betty Bryan Volunteer of the Year
Brad Richardson—Massillon Museum
Museum Advocate
Alexandra Nicholis Coon—Massillon Museum
Professional of the Year
Sarah Spinner Liska—FRONT Exhibition Co.
Institution of the Year
Buckeye Imagination Museum
The OMA Visual Communication awards recognize creative excellence in printed and digital materials produced and distributed by Ohio museums. This year’s awards are based on materials produced or distributed during the 2023 calendar year.
The 2023 Visual Communication winners are:
Budget Level 1
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Gold Award: City of Cleveland & Port of Control – “Viktor Schreckengost: Time & Space Exhibit at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport”
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Silver Award: Bay Village Historical Society - "Bay Village Historical Society Website"
Budget Level 2
Budget Level 3
Budget Level 4
Budget Level 5
Budget Level 6
BEST IN SHOW:
Cleveland NASA Glenn - “Science in Space: Interactive International Space Station Exhibit at the Great Lakes Science Center”
Do you have an amazing visual communications pieces at your museum? Is the new program/exhibit/partnership you launched this year a big hit? Have a colleague that goes above and beyond to make Ohio museums better? Don't miss your chance to be recognized!
Learn more about the 2024 OMA Annual Awards Program and get full nomination details on the Awards page.
Congratulations again to all of the 2023 OMA Award winners!
We look forward to recognizing your museum at next year's 2024 Awards Ceremony as part of the 2025 OMA Annual Conference, April 5-7 in Athens!