 | |
| Vol. 17, No. 2 | Sept. 11, 1997 |
| |
| Vol. 17, No. 2 | Sept. 11, 1997 |
Through guided self-study and on-site consultation with a museum professional, the grant will enable the gallery to evaluate its current practices, establish priorities for maintaining and enhancing professional museum standards and institute plans for better serving its campus constituency, the greater Newark community, the public school systems and the state of Delaware. The grant is developed and managed by the American Association of Museums (AAM).
"We're trying through this external review to take what we do well and do it better," Belena S. Chapp, director of museums, said. "It's a win-win situation for gallery patrons, be they the UD community or the public at large."
Daniel Rosenfield, the Edna S. Tuttleman Director of the Museum of American Art at the Philadelphia Academy of the Fine Arts, will act as consultant, beginning his work at the end of September.
"In 1998, the University Gallery will observe its 20th anniversary. Receiving the MAP grant at this time reminds us of how the museum has evolved over the two last decades and is encouragement for staying the course in our mission of instructing students in the standards and practices of the museum field and promoting excellence in the arts and humanities through collecting, preservation, and research activities," Chapp said.
"External review," she added, "enables us to structure our future goals for programs in a strategic way. There is a tremendous benefit in having a colleague from outside review your program and its needs from an impartial, objective point of view."
For museums to maintain appeal to contemporary audiences it's important to "respond to the ever-changing needs of their communities," Chapp said.
"At the University Gallery, our consistuencies consist not only of the faculty, staff and students at UD, but the greater Newark community. We hope to get some ideas during the review process that will assist us in more effectively serving our larger community. After all, future gallery patrons are in the first and second grade now. We want to encourage a feeling of 'ownership' within the greater community that is not as strong right now as it should be."
UD students who work as interns at the gallery will be an integral part of the review process, Chapp said. The students will have an opportunity to interact with the consultant which, Chapp said, will give them valuable experience in the process of self-evaluation, which is critical for emerging museum professionals.
"We congratulate the University Gallery on the receipt of this grant," Ed Able, president and CEO of AAM, said, "and wish them well as they begin the process of self-review and planning for their future."
The Museum Assessment Program is one of several programs offered by the AAM to help museums actively improve their programs and operations in order to achieve the highest standards of quality and professionalism.
The AAM, based in Washington, D.C., is the national organization representing the concerns of the museum community. The AAM assesses museum programs, accredits museums and advocates for their advancement. Since its founding in 1906, AAM has grown to more than 15,000 members, including 10,852 museum professionals, 2,988 museums and 1,215 corporate members.
The University Gallery is currently presenting the exhibitions "In Our Time: Covers for a Small Library After the Life for the Most Part" and "A World Under Cover," both drawn from the gallery's collection of large format prints by American artist, R.B. Kitaj.
The University Gallery is located on the second floor of Old College. Its collections span from the ancient period through the present day and boast significant holdings of Russian icons, pre-Colombian ceramics, 20th-century American works on paper, Old Master prints and sculpture.
-Noel Munier
