The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Receives $150,000 Institute of Museum and Library Services Grant
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO (PRWEB) October 12, 2016 -- The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is pleased to announce that it is the recipient of a “Museums for America” grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which will allow the Museum to build a state of the art digital infrastructure to provide access to its diverse collection of fine art, personal effects, and archival documents.
The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is the single largest repository of Georgia O’Keeffe’s artwork, personal effects, and related archives, including important oral histories, correspondence, ephemera, and photographs. This year, IMLS received 548 applications and of these, 206 projects were selected to receive funding for the Museums for America awards. The $150,000 federal grant received by the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum will be used to create an integrated digital archive that will link disparate collection records and resources, making them accessible through a single unified interface.
The leading edge project will eventually provide full access to the breadth and depth of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum’s holdings. “The grant allows us to initiate a long-term project that will ultimately allow staff, researchers, and the public to access our collections in an unprecedented way, making it possible to follow their curiosity and discover new relationships,” said Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Director Rob Kret.
By providing greater access to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum’s unparalleled resources, the project’s ultimate goal is to deepen the understanding of O’Keeffe and her context within the modernist art movement. While many of the Museum’s collections are related, the links are not always evident. For example, a painting, associated drawings or photographs, correspondence about the artwork, historic condition reports, press clippings or reviews from the first exhibition of the work, and installation shots of the painting in that exhibition might all be found in the Museum’s collections. However, such resources are currently tracked in several different systems and there is no easy way to recognize the connections between different types of objects and archival records. Ultimately, the IMLS supported project will improve the Museum’s ability to manage and care for its resources and enhance access to the Museum’s collections.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. “As centers of learning and catalysts of community change, libraries and museums connect people with programs, services, collections, information, and new ideas in the arts, sciences, and humanities. They serve as vital spaces where people can connect with each other,” said IMLS Director Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Suzanne O’Leary
JLH Media
505.490.9116
suzanne(at)jlhmedia(dot)com
ABOUT THE GEORGIA O’KEEFFE MUSEUM:
To inspire all current and future generations, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum preserves, presents and advances the artistic legacy of Georgia O’Keeffe and modernism through innovative public engagement, education, and research. Opened in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1997, the Museum counts O’Keeffe’s two New Mexico homes as part of its extended collection. The Museum’s collections, exhibitions, research center, publications and educational programs contribute to scholarly discourse and serve a diverse audience. For more information, please visit okeeffemuseum.org.
ABOUT THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES:
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. For more information, please visit https://www.imls.gov.
Suzanne O'Leary, JLH Media, http://www.jlhmedia.com, +1 5054909116, [email protected]
Share this article