'Don't stop believin'. ArtsinStark launches 2026 fundraising campaign
CANTON − ArtsinStark went big with its fundraising campaign kickoff by celebrating the '80s.
Big hair, big songs, big dance moves, big fashion ... and a big goal of raising $1.45 million to support local arts programming, grants, education and support services.
The 2026 campaign goal was announced March 11 at a launch party at the Cultural Center for the Arts.
"Don't stop believin'," said Alexandra Nicholis Coon, executive director of the Massillon Museum , drawing a collective chuckle from attendees by referencing the '80s pop rock anthem by Journey.
"The arts create a path for making life worth living," said Coon, who gave numerous examples of the benefits of the arts funding given to Massillon Museum.
Campaign already halfway to goal
The 2026 campaign goal is the same as the last two years.
The campaign has already reached 52% of this year's goal, a combination of individual donors, foundations and corporate gifts, said Maureen Ater, CEO of ArtsinStark.
"That's an incredible place to start and a testament to the belief that the arts matter here," said campaign Chairwoman Sue Grabowski. "... This campaign is truly a community effort."
Funding supports public art, local artists, programs in schools, operation and maintenance of the Cultural Center for the Arts, and funding for arts organizations in Stark County: Massillon Museum, Canton Ballet, Canton Symphony Orchestra, Canton Museum of Art, Canton Palace Theatre, Bluecoats and SingStark!.
Donations can be made at https://artsinstark.com/give/ .
'Arts to the Max'
Funding gets results, Ater said while tossing in throwback and pop culture references to the '80s. That includes the campaign name: "Arts to the Max."
Roughly 350,000 people took part last year in exhibitions, performances and shows in the local arts scene, she said.
More than 10,000 students in public schools across Stark County participated in arts education, Ater noted. And more than 80,000 people visited the Cultural Center campus, which includes two theater spaces, the art museum, recital hall and an adjacent park space.
"This community comes together for the arts," Ater said, noting that more than $17 million has been raised by the community for the arts over the past 14 years.
'The arts help us live.'
Kyle Moore, an ArtsinStark board member, commented after the event about the importance of funding the arts locally.
Moore, general manager and director of operations for Aspire Energy in Orrville, grew up in the Hudson Valley in New York before moving to Stark County.
Dia Art Foundation in New York City opened a satellite location in Beacon, New York, when Moore was living in the area.
"It absolutely transformed the town," he said. "Now it's a thriving community, and when I came to Canton, I had a chance to get involved in the arts and it was a no-brainer."
Local arts programming has evolved, he said. Examples include using art to improve mental health.
Small grants focus on education, health and economic development, Moore said of ArtsinStark and the campaign. Bigger grants support large arts organizations.
"I think it matters because there's a difference between surviving and living," he said of the arts. "And the arts help us live."
Reach Ed at ebalint@gannett.com. Follow on Instagram at ed_balint and TikTok @edwardbalint
This article originally appeared on The Repository: ArtsinStark sets $1.45 million campaign goal with '80s fun
