Newcomb Art Museum receives $216,515 grant for inventory, digitization

Newcomb Art Museum of Tulane University has received an award from The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Museums for America Collection Stewardship grant for $216,515 to go toward the inventory and digitization of its permanent collections.

“This IMLS award makes possible the Newcomb Art Museum’s vision to make all our collections available and accessible online,” said Mónica Ramírez-Montagut, museum director. “We look forward to receiving requests from scholars and the general public alike wanting to further their learning and engage with the objects under our care. We are particularly proud of providing our internationally renowned Newcomb Pottery collection the due visibility it deserves. This grant also moves us toward the completion of all the goals identified in our 2015–20 Strategic Plan and, in spite of an inventory setback due to Hurricane Katrina, we will finally complete our inventory and disseminate digitally our unique Southern cultural assets."

Through the agency’s largest competitive grant program, Museums for America, and a special initiative, Museums Empowered, a total of 130 projects were selected from 511 applications requesting $83,855,805. Institutions receiving awards are matching them with $27,561,604 in non-federal funds.

“We received a very rich slate of applications this year, making the award process extremely competitive,” said Paula Gangopadhyay, deputy director of the IMLS Office of Museum Services. “IMLS is pleased to fund projects in museums across America that are making an impact on their local communities, helping preserve and make collections more accessible and enriching lifelong learning experiences.”

The receipt of this award is just one of several leaps forward in the museum’s effort of preservation and advancement of scholarship on the Newcomb and Tulane art collections. In August, the Newcomb Art Museum launched a webpage to provide digital access to portions of its Newcomb Pottery collection. With the additional inventory and digitization made possible through this grant, the museum will continuously add images, information and scholarly context to the webpage for use by educators, art historians, scholars and the general public.

Additionally, to further provide accessibility to the pottery collection, this month the Newcomb Art Museum in partnership with Newcomb Institute curated a new permanent installation of Newcomb Pottery on the third floor of the newly inaugurated Commons building. Spanning more than 50 years, “Newcomb Pottery Through the Years” features over 70 rarely displayed treasures from the permanent collection including Newcomb Pottery, textiles, jewelry, metal objects, bookbinding and more. A free brochure on Newcomb Pottery, featuring a new essay from art historian Jenni Sorkin, accompanies the installation.

About the Newcomb Art Museum:

The Newcomb Art Museum of Tulane University builds on the Newcomb College legacy of education, social enterprise and artistic experience. Presenting inspiring exhibitions and programs that engage communities both on and off campus, the museum fosters the creative exchange of ideas and cross-disciplinary collaborations around innovative art and design. The museum preserves and advances scholarship on the Newcomb and Tulane art collections.

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 libraries and museums. IMLS advances, supports and empowers America’s museums, libraries and related organizations through grantmaking, research and policy development. Its vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities.