TOLEDO — The KeyBank Foundation announced Wednesday, Oct. 14, a $300,000 investment in the Toledo Museum of Art to support three years of the museum’s community outreach program, which brings free, hands-on art experiences directly into Toledo neighborhoods.
The program is designed to remove barriers to taking part in the arts and to create consistent, safe spaces for children, young people, families and adults facing economic instability. Teaching artists are assigned to the same sites over time so participants can build relationships and return to a familiar, welcoming setting.
The museum delivers the programming with community partners that include Cherry Street Mission, Art Tatum Zone sites and the Kent and Mott branches of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library. Projects span a range of media, draw on works in the museum’s collection and are adapted for each age group and setting.
Over the grant period, the museum aims to deliver more than 150 sessions a year across all sites and serve more than 1,700 participants annually, while keeping recurring arts programming running year-round.
KeyBank’s Northwest Ohio market president noted the bank and the museum have partnered for more than 25 years. Museum education leaders said the support will let the outreach team deepen work already happening in neighborhoods across the city.