Toledo Opera received a $21,000 FY 2026 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support Opera On Wheels, its educational outreach program now in its 40th year. The funding retroactively covers the program’s January through May 2026 season.

During that period, Toledo Opera presented 40 performances of “The Bear Who Couldn’t Fish” at 36 venues across Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan, reaching approximately 14,000 K-6 students, 450 educators, and 400 community members at churches, libraries, and Metroparks locations. The opera, with music by Matthew Fossa and libretto and book by Joshua Borths, was directed by General Director James M. Norman.

Opera On Wheels brings age-appropriate productions to schools and community spaces annually. NEA Chairman Mary Anne Carter said the grant is part of the agency’s nationwide support for arts access as the country marks its 250th anniversary.

Source: Toledo Opera