John J. McDonough Museum receives grant award from Ohio Arts Council Board Arts Grants

The Cliffe College of Creative Arts and the John J. McDonough Museum of Art, Youngstown State University’s Center for Contemporary Art, have received a Sustainability Grant for $12,418 for fiscal year 2027 from the $23.2 million in Arts Grants approved by the Ohio Arts Council Board.

In its description of this type of grant, the Ohio Arts Council (OAC) states, “This flexible and reliable funding supports a wide range of the state's arts providers as they make high-quality artistic experiences available to residents and visitors, positioning Ohio as a national leader in creativity, artistry, and cultural assets.” This year there were 545 Sustainability Grants awarded totaling $17,954,115.

As the John J. McDonough Museum of Art prepares to celebrate its 35th year as an arts institution, the role the Ohio Arts Council has played is vital. Without continued funding from OAC grants, the Museum would not have the ability to support programs like the Emerging Artist series. The series was established to create opportunities for new and emerging visual and performing/performance artists. The funding also provides the ability to collaborate with the community to help create programs that matter.

These grants stem from the state’s operating budget, which included a record-high state appropriation of nearly $53.5 million for the OAC over the two-year period. The willingness of the government to generously subsidize the OAC underscores the importance of the arts.

On its website, OAC Executive Director Donna S. Collins stated, “As they have for decades, Ohioans remain broadly supportive of public funding for the arts and culture in their communities. Our mission reflects their demand. We continue to be both impressed and humbled by the historic volume of applications we receive, and grants we make, year after year. By increasing access to artistic and cultural experiences for residents and visitors, the OAC strengthens Ohio’s arts and cultural sector and our shared relevance to the state’s economy, educational system, and creative workers.”

The John J. McDonough Museum of Art thanks the members of the Ohio General Assembly and Governor Mike DeWine, along with the Ohio Arts Council, for their continued support.

McDonough Museum of Art programming is made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.