Walters Art Museum Receives $463K Grant From The National Endowment For The Humanities
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Walters Art Museum received a $463,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to fund new inclusive, community engagement initiatives and continue to provide free exhibits and education classes, the museum announced Tuesday.
The money comes from an American Rescue Plan program designed to help cultural institutions emerge from the pandemic.
Museum administrators said the money will fund a new team to engage the community and gather feedback and pay for three new exhibits exploring Asian and Islamic art, North and South American art, and Ethiopian art.
"As we approach a new phase in the life of the museum, we see this moment as an opportunity for growth, innovation, and a redefinition of how we use our humanities-based collections and expand and strengthen our work of bringing art and people together," said Julia Marciari-Alexander, the museum's director. "We are aligning our focus on community and want to encapsulate the idea of the museum as a center of civic life and dialogue, which includes critical self-reflection, identifying and building relationships with new audiences, and making our collection more accessible through media and technology."
The first of the three exhibit is scheduled to open in Fall 2022.
Over the last year, the Walters has set goals for diversity, equity, access and inclusion, including shows featuring more artists of color, the museum said.
"This incredible grant from the NEH will allow the Walters to re-imagine how we engage with our public to create space for dialogue and societal growth," Marciari-Alexander said. "The Walters believes in the fundamental role art and history play in shaping a better future. We will strengthen our partnership with our communities through dialogue and accountability."