The Ohio Museums Association (OMA) announced the winners of the 2023 OMA Awards of Achievement and 2023 Visual Communication Awards during its annual OMA Awards Dinner on Sunday, April 14, at Sawmill Creek Resort in Huron, Ohio, as part of the Ohio Museums Association's 2024 Annual Conference.
 
The OMA Visual Communication awards recognize creative excellence in printed and digital materials produced and distributed by Ohio museums. This year’s awards were based on materials produced or distributed during the 2023 calendar year. The Awards of Achievement were divided into two categories: Institutional Achievement Awards and Individual Achievement Awards. The Massillon Museum and its leadership garnered several recognitions.

The John W. Carlson: Set the Twilight Reeling exhibition catalog earned the top Award of Achievement for the best exhibition catalog in its budget category. The exhibition, September 16 to November 12, 2023, used a language of line, colors, space, form, contrast, and gesture to express narrative, and above all, feelings. The full-color soft cover book remains available in the Museum’s shop, OHregionalities.

The Massillon Museum earned the 2023 Gold Award in Visual Communication for its budget level for its 90th Anniversary Logo/Brand Package. The logo was utilized throughout the anniversary year, and was created by the Museum's administrative assistant and social media manager, Anna Young.

The late Brad Richardson was named the Betty Bryan Volunteer of the Year for his 12 years of service to the Massillon Museum. As Museum board member Maude Slagle noted in his nomination letter, "His dedication to MassMu and the local arts community and his wholehearted support of the Museum staff is unequaled." Brad passed away on January 26, 2024. His wife Melinda and children Alexx and Sydney were there to accept the award on his behalf.

Alexandra Nicholis Coon, executive director of the Massillon Museum, was honored as Ohio’s museum advocate of the year in 2023. In addition to outstanding collaboration with officials on the local and county level, Coon advocates regularly at the state and national level on behalf of all museums, and within the community.

The OMA Awards program is an annual celebration of the outstanding achievement of Ohio museums in visual communications, individual and institutional achievement, and the tireless work museum professionals undertake to help advance Ohio’s museum community.

"Nominations for these awards are incredibly detailed. This in-depth process helps to illustrate how these institutions and individuals have gone 'above and beyond' the normal call of duty to support their institution, serve their public, and advance the cause of the museum community,” according to Johnna McEntee, executive director of the Ohio Museums Association.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon. A visit is always free. To learn more about MassMu, call 330-833-4061 or visit www.MassillonMuseum.org.