While our country’s artistic heritage
does not extend back as many centuries as that of the European
nations, America’s contribution to the history, and
future, of the visual arts is both significant and extensive.
Unfortunately, it is also under-appreciated and misunderstood – even
by most Americans.
The Museum is working to change that. Over the past few
months, we have developed a multi-faceted educational initiative
to increase our audience’s knowledge and appreciation
of the past, present and future of American Art.
The Museum’s American Art Initiative is a strategically
planned series of educational programs for adults and children
that have been created specifically to increase appreciation
and understanding of American Art. Last fall, we introduced
two of these new programs for our adult audiences: the
American Stories lecture series which focuses on American
art & history from 1760 - 1913, and Conversations On
Collecting, a series designed to stimulate interest in
collecting American Art. We also introduced two noted American
art scholars, Dr. Sarah Burns and Dr. Barbara Tannenbaum,
in our continuing Distinguished Lecturer series.
For children visiting the Museum, we will be offering
the newly configured American Art School Tour program which
uses current exhibitions as the starting point for art
explorations and hands-on experiences.
Off-site, the Initiative will offer adults a mini-version
of the American Stories program in the workplace as a lunchroom
series, as well as “café culture” series,
Art & Espresso which offers short, lively lectures
on Post-War American Art in coffee shops throughout the
community. And our outreach efforts for children will soon
include the dynamic Art’SCool Reader magazine that
teaches the history of American Art in a manner especially
designed to capture the attention and imagination of fourth
and fifth graders.
The Museum’s American Art Initiative is truly a
unique and concerted effort to raise awareness and appreciation
of America’s visual arts. Our goal is that each of
our visitors come away from our exhibitions and programs
with a better understanding of America’s contribution
to the arts and with a sense of pride in America’s
artistic heritage.
Charles A. Shepard III
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