An Artistic Triumph
Ohio Wesleyan's Ross Art Museum Earns a 2026 Ohio Arts Council Sustainability Grant
DELAWARE, Ohio – Ohio Wesleyan University's Richard M. Ross Art Museum has been awarded a $16,308 Sustainability Grant from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC) in support of the state agency's efforts to "make high-quality artistic experiences available to residents and visitors, positioning Ohio as a national leader in creativity, artistry, and cultural assets."
The Ross will use its OAC grant to fund exhibitions and programming, including a new "Art and the Environment Talk Series" and ongoing make-and-take events for children and families to encourage them to visit the museum and explore the fine arts, said Christopher Yates, museum director.
"Our curatorial focus for the coming year centers on the land, climate change, the environment, and the ramifications of living in the Anthropocene Era (the geological age affected by humans and their actions)," Yates said.
As part of the focus, the Ross and the Ohio Wesleyan Department of Environment & Sustainability collaborated to create the Art and the Environment Talk Series. It will explore the intersection of art and the environment with artists, activists, and scholars sharing their efforts to change the world around them for the better. Brian Harnetty, a Columbus-based interdisciplinary sound artist, composer, and author, will kick off the series with his presentation, "Sound, Listening, and Our Environment," at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 2 at the Ross, 60. S. Sandusky St., Delaware.
The OAC grant also will support exhibitions, including "Our Changing Landscape: Life in the Anthropocene," which will be on display from Oct. 14 through March 29 at the Ross. Curated by Ruth Szukala, the museum's collections manager, registrar, and curator, the exhibit will include art from OWU's permanent collection along with items on loan from Denison University, Hope College in Michigan, and other sources. The exhibition supports Ohio Wesleyan's first-year student seminar, "How to Change the World." Each year, students enrolled in the course explore a significant issue and look for ways to address problems. This year's seminar will examine humankind's impact on the environment.
In addition, Yates said, the state funds will support the museum's popular children's and family programs held on one Sunday a month throughout the academic year. The 2025-2026 programs will begin with Sunshine Photography, a free program for children of all ages to make their own cyanotypes, or photos developed using the power of sunshine. Sunshine Photography will be held from 2-3 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Ross, with a rain date of Aug. 31.
"Funds from the Ohio Arts Council enable the Ross Art Museum to give back to the people of Delaware County and Central Ohio," Yates said. "While serving students and faculty at OWU, our hope is to continue growing Delaware's vibrant creative community with meaningful exhibitions and thoughtful arts programming. Added to the museum's existing operational endowments, the grant challenges us to fill the gap that often forms between academic institutions and local communities."
Created in 1965, the Ohio Arts Council "funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically." Its mission is to provide "leadership and voice for the arts to transform people and communities." Learn more about the Ohio Arts Council at www.oac.ohio.gov.
Ohio Wesleyan's Ross Art Museum opened in fall 2002 with significant support from philanthropist Elizabeth M. Ross, now deceased. The museum features 2,986 square feet of exhibition space in four galleries, as well as offices and preparatory and storage spaces. Its permanent collection of nearly 3,000 works includes artists such as Pablo Picasso, Frank Stella, and Alfred Stieglitz. The museum's mission is to mount exhibitions that support and enhance both the curriculum of the OWU Department of Fine Arts and the liberal arts teaching mission of the university. During the academic year, the Ross is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is handicap-accessible and admission is always free. Call (740) 368-3606 or visit owu.edu/Ross or www.facebook.com/RossArtMuseum for more information.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review "Best Colleges" lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu.