• About Us
• News
• Events
• Shop

Press Releases

Local museums combine for more than $240,000 in federal grants -

Forest, VA – When the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced this year’s Museums for America grant recipients, Amazement Square President/CEO Mort Sajadian did a double take. It wasn’t just the $71,138 awarded to the Lynchburg children’s museum that caught his eye.

Not far away, the staff at Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest also noticed it. And when Amazement Square called Sweet Briar College Art Gallery Director Karol Lawson about the news, there was yet another “Huh … look at that” moment.

What they saw, aside from their respective awards, was the unusual cluster of grants among the three local institutions. Together they’re bringing $243,993 in federal dollars to the region. The Science Museum of Virginia was the only other 2010 MFA recipient in the state.

The IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Lawson, who was awarded a “collections stewardship” grant of $23,791 to overhaul data management of Sweet Briar’s permanent art collection, noted all three grants are highly competitive and national in scope.

“Institutions are up against colleagues from all fifty states. The grants are peer-reviewed, so success is an indication of how well the organization, its collection and its personnel are regarded in the museum field,” she said.

“Frankly, I’m flattered that the Sweet Briar art collection is in the company of Amazement Square and Poplar Forest. Amazement Square sets the state’s standards for children’s museums and Poplar Forest is doing great historical work.”

During this cycle of grants, 510 organizations applied for MFA grants this year; 178 were chosen.

Lawson called the Sweet Briar grant a “great leap forward” for the College’s art gallery, taking it from an outdated collections database with limited functionality to one that can capture, manage and share an array of detailed information about the collection with students, professors, researchers and the general public.

Poplar Forest, the third U.S. president’s retreat home in Bedford County, will use its $149,064 award to launch Phase I of a landscape project to investigate and restore ornamental plantings to their Jefferson-era setting. Throughout the year, visitors to Poplar Forest will have the opportunity to witness archaeology in progress and watch as the archaeologists take steps towards restoring the first landscape element, the west allee of trees, followed by the elements supported by the grant, the geometrically designed tree clumps and the ornamental beds that radiated out from the geometry of the octagonal house.

“The landscapes of Poplar Forest have changed significantly in the last two hundred years. With this important support from IMLS, our archaeological research at Poplar Forest will help us to understand, envision and recreate these landscapes — and share each step with our visitors, both onsite and online,” said Jack Gary, Director of Archaeology and Landscapes.

“From examining pollen grains and chemicals trapped in the soil, to studying historic plantation maps and documents, to excavating the remains of shrubs Jefferson planted, our interdisciplinary approach will tell us — and the public — what Jefferson’s gardens actually looked like two hundred years ago.”

Like Poplar Forest, the award to Amazement Square, the Rightmire Children’s Museum also was given in the “community engagement” category. It will be used to fund the CityArts Mosaic Mural Project, which will pair at-risk seventh- through 12th-graders and underserved community members with professional artists and arts educators. Together, they will transform a 4,800-square-foot wall in downtown Lynchburg into a work of public art. Through this program, participants will work in a diverse and multigenerational team setting as they learn the skills and techniques required to create a monumental-scale tile mosaic mural and develop an appreciation for the history of public art and its importance to downtown revitalization.

“We are delighted to have received this national recognition for this program,” said Sajadian. “We have worked very hard not only to create a major work of public art but also to develop a truly multi-faceted program.  In addition to learning tiling skills, CityArts volunteers will have an opportunity to learn about mosaic art, the history of Lynchburg, the role and importance of public art, as well as the skills to work in a multi-cultural team to accomplish a common goal.”

IMLS Museums for America grants require a 1:1 match from each institution receiving funds. Each participating museum will continue to raise support to meet the challenges of the grant and accomplish their program goals.

Museums for America is the Institute’s largest grant program for museums, providing more than $19 million in grants to support the role of museums in American society to sustain cultural heritage, to support lifelong learning; and to be centers of community engagement. Museums for America grants strengthen a museum’s ability to serve the public more effectively by supporting high-priority activities that advance the institution’s mission and strategic goals.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.

Web links:
http://www.imls.gov/index.shtm
http://www.imls.gov/news/2010/071310.shtm
http://www.poplarforest.org/main
http://www.amazementsquare.org/
http://www.sbc.edu/

Poplar Forest is open to the public seven days a week, March 15 through December 15 (closed Thanksgiving Day). Group tours are available year-round by appointment.