Toledo Opera has been granted a $15,000 Ignite Grant from Ohio Humanities. This funding will support the 2024-25 mainstage season titled “Love and War,” as well as efforts to grow and diversify the audience.
Funds will specifically be used to produce and develop immersive content for the “Opera Out of the Box” podcast. Upcoming episodes will focus on “Tosca” and “South Pacific”. Launched during the 2023-24 season with six episodes, the podcast aims to demystify opera and provide insights into Toledo Opera’s productions, educational programmes, community engagement initiatives, Resident Artist programme, and more. The podcast, hosted by WGTE Public Media’s Radio Station Manager, Brad Cresswell, features experts from both Toledo Opera and the wider opera world.
“This podcast project reflects our ongoing efforts to connect with the community and reach those who may not typically access opera,” said Toledo Opera Development Officer Leah Whitaker in a press release. “Through this podcast, we aim to share stories that resonate with real-life experiences, covering history, culture, and art in a relevant and engaging way. By bringing in experts to explore themes from our ‘Love and War’ season, we hope to tell richer, more meaningful stories that truly connect with our audience.”
The grant will alsohelp the company return to pre-pandemic audience and programme participation levels. Toledo Opera’s project is part of an almost $120,000 distribution awarded to various organisations across Ohio.
Leave a comment