FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2008
Contact:
Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission: Jessica Fagan – 614.995.7552; jfagan@culture.ohio.gov
Ohio Glass Museum: Lou Varga – 740.687.6057; lou@vargacommunications.com
Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission Approves $250,000 for Ohio Glass Museum Project
Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission approved $250,000 at its quarterly meeting today for the Ohio Glass Museum.
The Ohio Glass Museum tells the story of Lancaster’s legacy in the glass industry, with educational exhibits and glass displays that take visitors through the development and production of industrial, pressed, blown, and art glass. The museum contains items from the Anchor Hocking, Lancaster Glass and Erickson Glass companies, as well as related traveling exhibits. The Ohio Glass Museum will utilize state funds for display cases in its main gallery, library and other display areas, as well as to purchase equipment for its glass blowing studio. Although the museum has been open for less than two years, it has seen visitors from across Ohio, nearly every state in the Union, and over a dozen foreign countries.
The Commission approval, coupled with the signing of legal agreements, allows the Ohio Glass Museum to be reimbursed on a pro rata basis with a $250,000 state capital appropriation. The funds were appropriated in Am. Sub. H.B. 16 of the 126th General Assembly, when State Senator Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster), as a member of the Ohio House, sponsored the capital grant.
"I am pleased to see this grant come through for an outstanding museum,” remarked Sen. Schaffer. “Lancaster has the richest glass-making history of any city in America, and the Ohio Glass Museum is a fitting tribute to the industry and hard work of thousands of glass workers and the innovators who have worked and lived here."
The Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission is a state agency that helps enhance the quality of life for Ohioans by improving the state’s cultural facilities. Since 1988, the Commission has disbursed nearly $400 million of capital funds appropriated by the legislature and Governor for facility improvement projects at non-profit theaters, museums, historical sites and publicly owned professional sports venues.
The Commission partners with non-profit groups and local governments on nearly 250 projects in 65 of Ohio’s 88 counties. For more information on the Commission, visit www.culture.ohio.gov.
