Brown's Town: Art Inspired by Ohio's Football Heritage is a new, statewide, juried art exhibition in the Paul Brown Museum at the Massillon Museum. It will be on view from August 19, 2024, with doors opening at 5:00 p.m. to coincide with the Massillon Tigers pep rally in Duncan Plaza, adjacent to the Museum), through January 12, 2025. A reception for the artists will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2024, concurrent with the opening of theStark County Artists Exhibition.

Current and former Ohio residents were invited to submit artwork completed within the last five years inspired by themes included the “Father of Modern Football,” Paul Brown. The exhibition offers a contemporary look at the legendary coach’s impact throughout Ohio and on the sport itself.

Themes include Paul Brown, the Massillon Tigers, Ohio State Buckeye football, the Cleveland Browns, the Cincinnati Bengals, Miami University-Oxford/“Cradle of Coaches,” the Massillon Tiger Football Booster Club/commitment to community, early professional football in Northeast Ohio, Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, the Massillon Tiger Swing Band, the Massillon/Canton McKinley rivalry, and Paul Brown’s coaching tree.

All media were considered by independent jurors:  Greg Storer, owner of Greg Storer Art LLC, Mason, Ohio, and Nichole Woods, Director of the Reinberger Gallery, Cleveland Institute of Art. They selected 14 artworks by 11 Ohio artists to be included in the exhibition, as well as prize winners:  Best in Show $300, Second Place $200, and Third Place $100.

Each visitor to the gallery is invited to submit one entry for the People’s Choice Award ($100), the winner of which will be announced during the exhibition reception on November 2. Ballots can be obtained at MassMu’s reception desk and can be placed in the ballot box within the gallery.  Inquiries about purchasing artwork from the show may be directed from the reception desk as well.

Also in the Paul Brown Museum, visitors can see 90 Years of Community: The Massillon Tiger Football Booster Club during the same time span. It focuses on the first nine decades of the Booster Club and its projects that contribute to a winning football program. The Paul Brown/Massillon Tiger Football History Timeline in the Paul Brown Museum will soon be updated to recognize recent successes.

Visitors can also view Gilding Northeast Ohio: Fashion and Fortune 1870–1900 in the main gallery (through October 13); Innovators of Massillon; the Immel Circus; the local history and fine and decorative arts galleries; Emily Bartolone: On Its Head (through September 8); Kimberly Chapmann: Through the Looking Glass (September 21 through November 3); and On the Record (August 31 through October 27). A 1916 Massillon-manufactured Russell steam engine is displayed in the garden.

Exhibitions can be seen during regular MassMu hours, Tuesday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. A visit is always free and everyone is welcome.

MassMu is located at 121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon. Free parking is available on adjacent streets and in nearby city lots. For more information, call 330-833-4061 or visit massillonmuseum.org.