TOLEDO, Ohio — The KeyBank Foundation is investing $300,000 in the Toledo Museum of Art to expand the museum’s community outreach program, which brings free, hands-on art experiences directly into neighborhoods across Toledo, the bank announced Oct. 14.
The program is designed to remove barriers to taking part in the arts while creating consistent, safe spaces for children, young people, families and adults experiencing economic instability. Instead of requiring a trip to the museum, teaching artists bring projects inspired by works in the museum’s collection out to where people already gather.
The museum delivers the programming with community partners, including Cherry Street Mission, Art Tatum Zone sites, and the Toledo Lucas County Public Library’s Kent and Mott branches. Teaching artists are assigned to the same sites over time, so participants build relationships with trusted adults in a stable, welcoming setting.
“We are incredibly grateful to KeyBank and the KeyBank Foundation for this transformative investment in our community,” said Grace Toth, the museum’s Emma Leah Bippus Director of Education. She said the support will deepen the outreach team’s daily work, “building relationships and creating relevant, inspiring art experiences that meet people where they are.”
Projects span a wide range of media and are adapted to each age group and setting, allowing both a first introduction to art-making and more complex work over repeated sessions. During 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 maintaining and expanding recurring programming year-round.
“KeyBank and the Toledo Museum of Art have a long-storied partnership that spans more than 25 years,” said Dan Dower, KeyBank’s Northwest Ohio market president. “We’re proud to continue supporting the museum and their efforts to bring meaningful art experiences into the lives of children and adults across Toledo.”
For Toledo families, the practical effect is simple: more free art programming, in more neighborhoods, on a regular schedule — no admission, no supplies to buy, and no trip across town required. The museum says that consistency is the point, turning a one-time visit into an ongoing creative routine for the people who take part.
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