DIRECTOR'S LETTER

Thank you to our members, sponsors, and supporters for sticking with us through this difficult year. This report shares reports and numbers reflecting the impact of the museum this past year, during the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to be a positive force in-person, and especially this year through all our new virtual events.

Our collection growth has been targeted towards underrepresented artists in a truly meaningful way. This important growth will impact generations. These major collection and programmatic initiative were celebrated in Daniel E. Stetson Collection Spotlight: Recent Acquisitions by Black Artists exhibition that showcased works purchased through funding from the Reilly Initiative for Underrepresented Artists. This represents a commitment to diversifying our collections and programs to better engage our community, visitors, and campus audiences. The growth and development of the collection included six museum purchases, thirty-one gifts, and three transfers to the permanent collection.

Exhibitions included one on beloved artist and past faculty member Caroline Durieux, the extension of the Living with Art exhibition, Letitia Huckaby’s This Same Dusty Road project, Southbound and The Art of Seating national touring projects. Letitia Huckaby was invited to select and curate some of the photographs from Southbound and place them in the Art in Louisiana galleries, an example of collaboration and shared authority. Curatorial staff continue to regularly refresh the Art in Louisiana galleries making them a surprise each visit as new works and themes are explored.

Highlighting the success and number of virtual programs held throughout the year– a record twenty-two videos of virtual programs (and growing) and lesson plans are available on the Museum’s YouTube channel. Four LSU MOA original exhibitions continue to travel nationally and continue to build our national reputation. Educational programs, such as the Neighborhood Arts Project (NAP) and community-based collaborations continued in modified form. Creative art kits were distributed through the Baton Rouge Library, Housing Authority site, and through school food distribution sites in support of our communities’ families.

The Museum received awards and recognition last year for its work, including two gold and two silver recognitions from the Southeastern Museums Conference annual competition. Both the Fifteenth Anniversary in the Shaw Center poster (featuring the Diego Rivera portrait of Caroline Durieux) and the Art Talk newsletters received top honors with gold level recognitions. The Adore I Adorn exhibition received a silver award for the exhibition itself, and one also for its public communications campaign.

I want to highlight four strategic goal areas: Support the LSU Diversity & Inclusion Roadmap; Prioritize Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion National Efforts; Use our Work as a Platform to Bridge Differences; and Ensure Sustainability. The importance of our supporters, board members, community partners, and staff in achieving these aims cannot be underestimated as we move forward.

The arts continue to be a safe space to escape the stress of life and experience moments of revery and thoughtfulness and joy. This year had challenges and the Museum rose-up to meet them. We will continue to be there for our community. The arts matter. Thank you again for making this all possible.