Since it has been 30 years since the museum’s last such campaign, the time was right for the new one based on the accomplishments of the past decade and focus on the future as shared by Museum of Art board of trustees president Jamie McGregor.
“We’ve been busy down here in the park,” McGregor told attendees, referring to the museum’s location in Veterans Park. “We’re being good stewards with the funds that have been entrusted to us.”
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Among the positives are having a balanced budget seven of the past eight years; increased membership; becoming the only museum in Ohio with Smithsonian Institution affiliation; a nationally-recognized arts education program; and improved fundraising.
The commitment from Speedway comes about month after the museum received a $1 million gift from Springfield native Randolph H. Deer.
Deer’s gift is the single largest individual donor financial gift in the museum’s history.
The funds raised will help in “rightsizing the museum” as McGregor put it. This will include tearing down the oldest parts of the museum building, but increasing the educational space, which will double in size.
“Sustainability is a focus,” said McGregor. Modernizing will also help the museum renew its affiliation with American Alliance of Museums.
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It was the educational component along with supporting the local community that attracted Speedway’s interest, Speedway LLC president Tim Griffith said. The organization likes supporting STEM programs especially, and the museum’s work with the Clark-Shawnee Local School District is an example, he said.
The museum’s programs with the district’s students has taken STEM to STEAM, with the A standing for Art with the curriculum to enhance ideas in astrophysics for kids. Over the past four years, Curator of Education Annette Eshelman introduced the students to various programs including using telescopes to create images and students even made their own planets.
Shawnee staff and students attended the ceremony, with science teacher Matt Warrington vouching for its merits.
“As a science teacher, I was apprehensive when somebody from the arts came in. Now I’ve become more artsy with Annette’s help,” Warrington said.
That type of endorsement and having more than 500 employees in Springfield alone and even more from Clark County working for Speedway clinched its decision, Griffith said. It gave the museum $133,000 of the pledge on Tuesday and will complete the gift in increments as the campaign moves forward.
“It’s an important partnership. We’re thrilled at the great work in Springfield,” Griffith said. “This type of engagement in the community is what we want to see.”
Speedway has also spent money in the community on various projects with Clark State, the John Legend Theater and several schools.
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It’s been a whirlwind first several days on the job for the Museum of Art’s new executive director, Jessimi Jones, who started the position on Jan. 20. The Bellefontaine native spent the past week meeting community leaders and getting to know the area. This kickoff to the campaign has been another highlight.
“This gift is transformative, a catalyst,” she said. “It’s a thrill to have this to start the public portion of our campaign.”
In addition to its gift, Speedway will match individual donations of $5,000 or less up to $125,000. Anyone interested in giving a financial gift can do so at springfieldart.net.
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