FROM THE DIRECTOR AND BOARD CHAIR Usually, annual report messages from governance and leadership follow “looking back/looking ahead” schemes. But, this being 2020—like everything else—our message is different this year. What feels right is to offer a report from the middle of things—a perspective on the priorities of twenty-first-century museum practice; how we are continuing to rise to the challenges of a prolonged pandemic with equal measures of caution and creativity, and how, with courage and compassion, we are entering the conversation and engaging in action demanded by the social justice movements of this time. In Spring 2020, with the many uncertainties of the pandemic unfolding around us, we set a goal of emerging from this better than we were before. We learned to look for the good in the bad, we began to recognize that what once felt like wants were now needs and reallocated resources to realize priority projects, and we have come to appreciate that the Chinese word for “crisis” is made up of the characters for “fear” and “opportunity.” As we work towards Spring 2021, we will continue to work from this mindset, with both grit and grace, as we leverage both the best of the virtual and actual worlds—offering safe choices online and onsite—for the greatest good and life learning of our beloved community. A Radical Re-opening What do these worlds look like? Our virtual world includes a new website that allows us to tell our stories and share our content in ways that are more relevant, compelling, and accessible. Our actual world now features an activated garden gate entrance and elevated security and hospitality that are blossoming into a dynamic visitor services practice.
Above: Current Board President Cathy Martin with Past Presidents Pete Knight and Leslie Sanders in the Caddell Sculpture Garden Below: Museum Director Angie Dodson (center) with Jordan Halloran (left) and Ricky Hollon (right) of MAX Wealth Management at the opening of Charles Shannon.
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