CMA Awarded Visit Canton/ArtsinStark Cultural Tourism Grant

The Canton Museum of Art (CMA) is pleased to announce that the Museum was awarded Visit Canton/ArtsInStark Cultural Tourism Grants in support of its Spring and Fall Exhibitions for 2022. CMA has been a part of the Visit Canton cultural tourism marketing efforts since the program's inception in 2018, and most recently was awarded the first Major Arts Event Grant for its American Impressionism exhibition, Dancing in the Light.

Visit Canton, the Stark County Convention & Visitors' Bureau (CVB) in partnership with ArtsInStark, the County Arts Council awarded $131,364 in Cultural Tourism Grants in late February. Grants were awarded for the purpose of generating increased visitation and economic impact for the region through the support of arts and culture events and marketing initiatives. Applicants could apply for up to $20,000 for each approved marketing or event initiative to be completed by December 31, 2022.

With the funds from the Cultural Tourism Grants, CMA will further expand its marketing mix outside of the Stark County area. Using digital, social, radio, print, and television targeted marketing in and around Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, as well as counties bordering Stark County, has greatly increased the number of visitors coming to CMA from outside the Stark County area.

The Museum's Executive Director & CEO Max R. Barton II said, "Cultural marketing and event production support has made a major difference in the Museum's ability to reach new audiences throughout Northeast Ohio and a tri-state area for cultural tourists. In addition to visitors from around Ohio, social media and digital engagement has consistently reached visitors from New England, California, Texas, Florida, and others who have made the Museum and our city a stop on their visitation to Northeast Ohio for other attractions such as the Rock Hall, Cleveland Museum of Art, and Pro Football Hall of Fame."

CMA considers cultural tourism appeal a major part of its curatorial and programming decision-making - one of the top five factors including artistic relevance, artistic excellence, diversity, and education.

"We are deeply committed to serving our community as a cultural resource, but also as an economic engine for our city and county through the impact of cultural tourism," said Barton. "On average today, approximately 50 percent of our visitation comes from outside of Stark County, up from 19 to 23 percent only a few years ago. This is good not only economically for our city, but also culturally in connecting audiences with each other and with new experiences and engagement with art.

"We are most grateful for the confidence and support from Visit Canton, ArtsInStark, and our city and county in making these grant resources available as a means of strengthening and sustaining our community through the power of arts and culture."

Learn more about CMA's current and upcoming exhibitions at https://www.cantonart.org/

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