Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art Receives Connecticut Humanities “American Rescue Plan” COVID Relief Funding
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Jessica Kelley Boucher
(860) 838-4081, jessica.kelley@thewadsworth.org
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art Receives Connecticut Humanities “American Rescue Plan” COVID Relief Funding
Hartford, Conn. (March 11, 2022) — Connecticut Humanities, the statewide, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), has awarded the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art a $10,000 CTH SHARP Capacity Grant to support the museum’s Strategic Planning process.
With the help of AMS Planning & Research, the Wadsworth is moving forward within the framework of a new Strategic Plan which has identified five key goals for the museum:
• Celebrate art and art-making: Care for, acquire, and share the collection in ways that reflect current and future generations.
• Showcase storytelling: Illuminate relevant, compelling, human stories.
• Demonstrate relevance and public-ness: Grow partnerships through relationships with Hartford’s and Connecticut’s diverse communities, to complement national and international recognition.
• Animate place: Reimagine our space on Main Street to be inviting, welcoming, and vital, both in and of Hartford and accessible to all.
• Transform culture: Build an inclusive organizational culture that is active, aligned, and accountable.
“Our work has been increasingly propelled by these important goals which align with the values that have emerged simultaneously from an ongoing DEAI initiative,” said Wadsworth CEO & Director Jeffrey N. Brown. “This grant will support our efforts to provide more equitable displays of art and accompanying narratives to better represent and support the experiences of visitors of all backgrounds across our collection, exhibitions, programs, and team.”
The NEH received $135 million from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021, which was approved by Congress this past spring. The state humanities councils, including CT Humanities, each received a portion of the NEH award to support museums, archives, historic sites, and other humanities-focused nonprofits
The Wadsworth was one of 69 organizations in Connecticut that was awarded ARP funding totaling $640,192 from CT Humanities. CTH SHARP Capacity Grants provide organizations funding for projects including building their information technology infrastructure, making their collections more accessible, conducting strategic planning, and undertaking inclusivity, diversity, equity, and access work.
“Our cultural nonprofits enrich lives, and it is important that they remain viable and accessible to all residents,” said Dr. Jason Mancini, executive director at CT Humanities.
About the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
Founded in 1842 with a vision for infusing art into the American experience, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is home to a collection of nearly 50,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years and encompassing European art from antiquity through contemporary as well as American art from the 1600s to today. The Wadsworth Atheneum’s five connected buildings—representing architectural styles including Gothic Revival, modern International Style, and 1960s Brutalism—are located at 600 Main Street in Hartford, Conn.
Current hours are noon–5pm Thursday–Sunday. Berkins on Main café hours are noon–4pm Thursday–Sunday. The library is currently closed to the public. Visitors are required to wear a face mask/covering while inside the museum. Admission: $5–15; discounts for members, students, and seniors. Free admission for Hartford residents with Wadsworth Welcome registration. Free “happy hour” admission 4–5pm. Advance ticket registration via thewadsworth.org is encouraged, not required. Phone: (860) 278- 2670; website: thewadsworth.org. Sustaining support for the Wadsworth Atheneum is provided by the Greater Hartford Arts Council’s United Arts Campaign, and the Department of Economic and Community Development.
About Connecticut Humanities
CT Humanities (CTH) is an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. CTH connects people to the humanities through grants, partnerships, and collaborative programs. CTH projects, administration, and program development are supported by state and federal matching funds, community foundations, and gifts from private sources. Learn more by visiting cthumanities.org.