TOLEDO, Ohio — The Toledo Museum of Art and the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts, in partnership with local community organizations, will welcome multi-platinum artist, activist, EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) recipient and Ohio native John Legend for a concert in the iconic Great Gallery at 8 p.m. on Oct. 22. The concert is presented with support from ProMedica and the Rita Barbour Kern Foundation.
Collaborating with TMA’s curators and Toledo Symphony musicians, Legend will perform in the Baroque painting gallery, pairing songs from his catalog with geographically and chronologically diverse works of art from the museum’s celebrated collection. These artworks will be installed in the Great Gallery for the concert, allowing thematic or formal connections to be visible to the attendees, who will fully surround the stage.
Free tickets to the concert will be distributed to children and families through TMA’s outreach initiatives with community anchors the Art Tatum Zone, Frederick Douglass Community Association and the Mott Branch of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library in the nearby Junction neighborhood.
Tickets are not available for purchase by the general public.
Participants will also engage in art-making activities related to the set list and will have the opportunity to interact with Legend. A small representation of ProMedica’s front-line health care workers will also be invited.
“This intimate concert by the incredible John Legend will create an unforgettable experience for guests, contribute to the sense of belonging our outreach efforts seek to cultivate, and reframe the artworks in our Museum collection and spaces in exciting ways,” said Rhonda Sewell, director of belonging and community engagement at the Toledo Museum of Art.
“The Toledo Museum of Art is proud to join with valued partner organizations in Toledo to host multiplatinum artist John Legend, whose performance launches an exciting new series of high-profile and innovative concerts for the community at TMA,” said Adam M. Levine, the Museum’s Edward Drummond and Florence Scott Libbey director and CEO.
The museum’s COVID-19 safety protocols include required face coverings for all visitors and staff when inside TMA buildings, enhanced cleaning protocols for high-touch areas and surfaces and increased interior ventilation and air purification cycles.