Newsroom: Columbus Museum of Art Receives $1.2 Million Investment from Battelle for Fund for Learning
The generous gift will help establish a three-year Fund for Learning initiative at the Museum
Columbus, Ohio — September 20, 2023 — The Columbus Museum of Art (CMA) is thrilled to announce a transformative gift of $1.2 million from Battelle, a leader in innovation and scientific research. This substantial contribution will establish the Fund for Learning, a three-year initiative aimed at nurturing creativity, critical thinking, civic-mindedness, and well-being among visitors of all ages. In doing so, the initiative will bolster CMA’s existing programming, enable the Museum to expand training for teachers and school administrators throughout the region, and expand access for greater and more diverse audiences in Columbus.
The Fund for Learning is the latest addition to CMA’s robust Learning and Engagement program, which includes the JPMorgan Chase Center for Creativity, spanning the Museum’s participatory galleries and its artist and community partnerships. Additional innovative partnerships have included the Center for Art and Social Engagement, an initiative funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services endeavoring to further connect CMA with global communities; and the Wonder School, a laboratory preschool collaboration between CMA, Columbus State Community College, and The Childhood League Center. Through the success of these programs, CMA has been widely recognized as a leading voice in arts education and a model for other cultural institutions. Positioning the Museum as an incubator for forward-thinking practices through research, evaluation, and innovation, this major gift from Battelle will serve to further advance the Museum’s contributions to the fields of museums and education.
This latest investment reflects Battelle’s ongoing commitment to the values of creativity and exploration, manifested in both its support of the Museum as well as in its substantial investment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Battelle has played a catalytic role through the growth of CMA’s educational programming. In 2019, CMA worked alongside researchers from Project Zero of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, in a three-year initiative supported by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation and Battelle. Together, the Museum and Project Zero developed the Cultivating Creative & Civic Capacities (C4) framework, an approach that recognizes the immense potential of creativity in addressing complex societal challenges. Centering fairness and sustainability, the Museum and Project Zero developed tools and resources for C4 to be incorporated within learning environments, empowering students to be more imaginative, thoughtful leaders within our communities.
This new investment, totaling $1.2 million, will build upon the successes of the Museum’s previous collaborations and take its learning programs to new heights. The gift will enable CMA to engage more than 25,000 young people per year in creative, critical, and civic thinking, including drop-in visitors as well as program participants. The gift will also have a vast impact on Ohio educators, allowing CMA to provide in-depth training to more than 150 teachers in more than 10 Central Ohio districts; lead workshops for more than 100 school administrators in Ohio and beyond; and provide evidence-based resources to more than 10,000 educators through broad national networks. Lastly, funds will be dedicated to increasing accessibility at the Museum for broader audiences across Columbus, including enhanced accommodation resources for guests with disabilities; public programming connecting visitors directly with artists of diverse backgrounds; and expanded access programs that remove barriers for economically challenged individuals and households.
“This investment from Battelle is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation,” said CMA Executive Director Brooke A. Minto. “We are deeply grateful for the organization’s continued support, which enables us to expand our reach and impact in continuing to foster creativity and critical thinking among our diverse audiences at CMA.”
“Battelle believes in the power of creativity and innovation,” said Wes Hall, Vice President of Education and Philanthropy at Battelle. “This investment will empower CMA to expand its reach, offering new tools and insights for Central Ohio educators and expanding access to inspiring learning experiences for local students.”
This generous investment from Battelle marks a significant milestone for CMA as it continues its mission to inspire creativity and learning within the Central Ohio community and beyond. Rooted in the belief that “thinking like an artist” instills boundless possibilities for experimentation and advancing positive social change, the Museum endeavors to cultivate new tools crucial for creating a more vibrant, empathic future.
For more information, please visit the Columbus Museum of Art’s website.
About Columbus Museum of Art
CMA is where creativity and the daily life of its community intersect and thrive, as the Museum champions new and different ways of thinking and doing. CMA celebrates the creative process and sets the stage for people to experience art, ideas and relationships that spark creativity and nurture collective, courageous imagination.
CMA’s collection includes outstanding late 19th- and early 20th-century American and European modern works of art, grounded in the Ferdinand Howald and the Howard D. and Babette L. Sirak Collections. The Museum houses the world’s largest collections of works by beloved Columbus-connected artists Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson, Elijah Pierce and George Bellows and acclaimed collections such as The Photo League and the Philip J. and Suzanne Schiller Collection of American Social Commentary Art. The recently established Scantland Collection of the Columbus Museum of Art also continues CMA’s dedication to showcasing the art of our time.
The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Nationwide Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, Paul-Henri Bourguignon and Erika Bourguignon Fund for Visual Arts and Richard H. and Ann Shafer funds with the assistance of the Ingram-White Castle Foundation of The Columbus Foundation provide ongoing support.
About Battelle
Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit www.battelle.org.
