Federal financial assistance granted for digitalization of 1,700 photographs by LUAG.
Lehigh University Art Galleries (LUAG) has been awarded a federal grant of $46,916 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), marking the second such grant received by LUAG in two years. The grant, part of the Inspire! Grants for Small Museums programme, will support LUAG's work over the next two years to create and implement a strategic plan.
Mark Wonsidler, Curator of Exhibitions and Collections, will serve as project director. The grant funds staff training in outcomes-based, visitor-centered practices, including learning alongside a professional photographer. The training will also support LUAG staff and Lehigh students.
The grant will focus on the digitization of 1,700 photographs from the permanent art collection of LUAG. To this end, the grant will fund the purchase of equipment for digitizing the collection, such as computers, scanners, and cameras. Staff will collaborate with an external consultant and meet with colleagues at peer institutions in New York City and Philadelphia.
Guest experts will be brought to Lehigh as part of the grant, and the staff's work will be showcased at a national conference as part of the grant. The goal is to build capacity and sustainability over the long-term, with a focus on learning experiences, community partnerships, collections stewardship, and expanding access to collections and resources.
The Museums Empowered grant, which is part of the larger grant, supports LUAG's work in these areas. The grant will also provide funding for study trips to peer institutions. In total, 60 museums across the United States received the grants.
The grant is significant as it demonstrates continued federal support for LUAG’s initiatives, likely enhancing their capacity for preservation, outreach, or program development. While the specific significance or purpose of this second grant to LUAG is not detailed in the provided search results, receiving a second federal grant from IMLS typically indicates ongoing recognition and support for LUAG’s work in art curation, education, or museum services—functions commonly funded by IMLS.
If you seek precise information on the purpose or outcomes of this particular grant to LUAG, it would be best to consult official LUAG or IMLS announcements or reports directly.
- Mark Wonsidler, as project director, will use the grant to provide staff training at Lehigh University Art Galleries (LUAG) on outcomes-based, visitor-centered practices, such as learning alongside a professional photographer.
- The grant will focus on the digitization of 1,700 photographs from LUAG's permanent art collection, with funds allocated for the purchase of computers, scanners, and cameras.
- The grant's aim is to build capacity and sustainability in LUAG over the long-term, focusing on learning experiences, community partnerships, collections stewardship, and expanding access to collections and resources.
- The Museums Empowered grant, part of the larger funding, will support LUAG's work in education, art curation, and museum services, providing resources for study trips to peer institutions and showcasing staff work at a national conference, contributing to career development and personal growth in education and self-development, as well as online education and skills training.
