Arts & Culture

Canton Museum of Art financially 'rescued' for now

By Jay Shah

Published February 1, 2022 at 2:47 PM EST

Canton Museum of Art was one of 12 organizations in Ohio to receive a grant through the American Rescue Plan Act and the National Endowment for the Arts [Canton Museum of Art] — Two people sit on a bench looking at a painting in the Canton Museum of Art

Like many arts organizations, the Canton Museum of Art’s bottom line has been hit hard by COVID-19. But it’s getting some financial help through the American Rescue Plan Act.

The museum is getting a $150,000 grant through the National Endowment for the Arts. That’s the largest grant possible through the program.

The museum’s director and CEO, Max Barton, says the money will help with operating expenses. However, he says they lost as much as $700,000 because of the pandemic.

“Nobody saw this particular tough time coming, but those are losses that you will never get back from earned revenue, major exhibits, fundraisers that you have a certain idea of what you might be able to raise. But you’re not going to get those monies back so you start working from square one on a new budget every year," he said.

The Canton Museum of Art is one of 567 organizations across the country getting one of these grants and one of only 12 in Northeast Ohio.