WASHINGTON, DC- The L’Enfant Plaza Hotel lobby was filled with museum professionals from across the nation, arriving for the National Alliance of African & African American Art Support Groups’ Advisory Council’s strategic planning work session titled “A New Direction”. The session was convened to address the future direction of the national organization as well as to discuss its ten-year successes.
During the three-day meeting, from July 15-17, attendees revisited the mission of the organization and discussed the goals of support groups of African and African American art nationwide, in efforts to prioritize potential challenges for the future. The session itinerary included such highlights as private tours and presentations, including a presentation by Dr. Ruth Fine on the African American print collection at the National Gallery of Art; attendees also participated in a discussion of the permanent collection at the University of Maryland, College Park by Dorit Yaron, Deputy Director of the David C. Driskell Center. Guests were presented with a special greeting by Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, the museum’s director. Dr. Karen Milbourne, curator of African Art, gave a tour of several exhibitions in the National Museum of African Art. Dr. Lonnie Bunch, founding Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, also presented the architectural plans for the new NMAAHC building, the last addition to the National Mall
The work session allowed attendees to successfully review the goals and objectives of NAAAAASG. Attendees also discussed upcoming travel events, and were enthused at the unveiling of the organization’s website. Now with “A New Direction” underway, the NAAAAASG is poised to look analytically at the successes and challenges in building and strengthening these support groups.
Members of the NAAAAASG are pioneers in audience development within mainstream museums. These individuals participate in museums’ artistic activities as trustees, patrons, staff, volunteers and donors. Some of the members of the organization belong to and are trustees of other African American museums of similar ideals. Members of this organization share a profound passion about art and culture.
The art support groups vary in their accomplishments:
-Proven dedication to accumulating larger museum memberships, especially from the African American community
-Contribute African American art to the museum’s permanent collections within various museums’ collections
-Sponsor programming on African and African American art by scholars and speakers well known within the African American community and academy
-Provide support for intern fellowships at the master’s degree level, a significant step in securing art historians
-Develop and maintain successfully ongoing artist master classes
-Support fundraising events on contemporary African and African American art and exhibitions]in the broader museum communities
-Facilitate a model status for other minority groups’ successes nationwide
These support groups have consistently been a bridge to successful multicultural dialogue around art and culture. They have also helped in creating large networks of stakeholders—a goal which is commonly discussed among other museum supporters but is difficult to meet.
Have you had consultants at your museum increase your membership with people of color? Are your marketing tactics quantifiable or activity-based? Share your answers and opinions here at Art Buzz.
**The National Alliance of African and African American Art Support Groups’ Advisory Council would like to send special thanks to the following people for a successful and exciting group conference:
- Dr. Ruth Fine, National Gallery of Art
- Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, director of the National Museum of African Art
- Dr. David Driskell, Curator and Founder of the David C. Driskell Center for the Study of Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora
- Dr. Robert Steele, Director of the David C. Driskell Center
- Dorit Yaron, Deputy Director of the David C. Driskell Center
- Dr. Karen Milbourne, curator of the National Museum of African Art
- Dr. Lonnie Bunch, founding Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Ananee, Office Manager, David C. Driskell Center