College Art Museum Earns Federal Prize
Westmont’s Reynolds Gallery has received an $113,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to help manage its permanent collection. This federal grant, which requires matching funds from Westmont, is highly competitive. Reynolds is one of only 167 museums and galleries out of 433 applicants nationwide to receive the award.
“This IMLS grant is a real encouragement for Westmont and the new Adams Center for the Visual Arts,” says Judy L. Larson, Askew professor of art and director of Reynolds Gallery. “It will enable us to implement best practices in our procedures and outreach in the new facility. The timing is perfect, as we plan for the January 2011 opening of our new facility.”
A statement from Congresswoman Lois Capps congratulates Larson and the Westmont community for receiving the prestigious Museums for America grant from the IMLS.
“This is a tremendous honor for Dr. Larson and Westmont College,” Capps says. “This award will not only benefit Westmont College but it will also support the greater Santa Barbara Arts Community. We are so blessed to have this institution of higher learning in our community.”
Reviewers called Larson’s proposal “a well-designed project with strong, experienced leadership” and “critical to professionally managing a collection that will be housed in a new, state-of-the-art facility.”
The funds allow the college to create an 18-month position to inventory and catalog the permanent collection. This registrar will also help to draft policies governing the collection in the future. The grant provides for a symposium and for publications increasing public awareness of the new museum and its collection.
The IMLS 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 IMLS 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.