Toledo Opera is pleased to announce that it is the recipient of an FY 2026 grant award of $21,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts. This funding will retroactively support Opera On Wheels for the period of January 1, 2026 through May 31, 2026.
“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support opportunities across the country for Americans to experience and participate in the arts,” said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “As we celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary this year, it is a moment to recognize the important role the arts continue to play in our lives, communities, and heritage.”
The Bear Who Couldn’t Fish was presented as the 2025-26 season production of Toledo Opera’s award-winning Opera On Wheels program, a 40-year educational outreach initiative that brings live opera directly to schools and community venues across Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. Each year, Opera On Wheels reaches more than 18,000 students with engaging, age-appropriate productions that introduce new audiences to the art form.
The Bear Who Couldn’t Fish tells the story of Mato, a young bear struggling to remember how to fish. Along his journey, he meets a cast of animal friends who help him discover the value of perseverance, curiosity, and respect for nature. Set in the Great Lakes ecosystem, this production blends humor, heart, and environmental awareness in a musical journey perfect for children and families. The Bear Who Couldn’t Fish is an original children’s opera with music written by Matthew Fossa, and the libretto and book written by Joshua Borths. The production was directed by Toledo Opera General Director, James M. Norman.
Support from this grant directly helped to underwrite the expansion of Toledo Opera’s spring touring activities, allowing the organization to significantly increase the number of performances and deepen engagement throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. During this period, Toledo Opera presented 40 performances of The Bear Who Couldn’t Fish at 36 unique venues. The production reached approximately 14,000 students in grades K-6, 450 educators, and an estimated 400 members of the general public through additional community performances at churches, libraries, Metroparks locations, and other accessible public spaces.
“The support of the National Endowment for the Arts allows Toledo Opera to continue bringing high-quality music education directly into our schools through Opera On Wheels,” said James M. Norman, Toledo Opera General Director. “This funding helps us inspire creativity, curiosity, and a lifelong appreciation for the arts in thousands of young people throughout our region. We are deeply grateful for the NEA’s investment in arts access and education.”
“We have been so lucky to have your program to bring Opera to so many children who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience it,” shared Kimberly Canfield, Music Teacher at Harvard Elementary School and Chair of the Toledo Public Schools Music Program. “…[The Toledo Opera] performers have always been so kind and patient with our children, and it has been such a joy to watch their faces and reactions during the programs.”
About the National Endowment for the Arts: Established by Congress, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. To learn more, visit arts.gov.
For more information about Opera on Wheels and/or Toledo Opera, please visit toledoopera.org. For media access, please contact Rachael Cammarn at rcammarn@toledoopera.org.
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