Museum of International Folk Art Fiscal Year Feats
$90,000
raised for Vernick Auditorium renovation
$79,000
raised to refresh Multiple Visions: A Common Bond
$89,000 raised for exhibitions
$24,000
raised for education
$37,000
received in grants
$17,000
raised from special events
$173,000
in endowment payouts
5,535
collection works online
4,000
Folk Art To Go kits distributed to Santa Fe families
Folk art connects the world A Year of Transformation
Thanks to a long history of stewardship and strong personal relationships at the Museum of International Folk Art, and in spite of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, fiscal year 2020 (July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020) ended on a resilient note of fiscal and programmatic achievement. The Museum of New Mexico Foundation raised a total of $617,000 for the museum’s exhibitions and education programs, along with other initiatives, in FY2020. During the pre-pandemic months of the fiscal year, museum guests enjoyed popular in-person exhibitions, including Alexander Girard: A Designer’s Universe, a collaboration with Germany’s Vitra Design Museum. This was complemented by a well-attended symposium on Girard’s design and collecting legacy. “The great success of the exhibition and this terrific conference advanced scholarship and brought our Girard Wing into focus,” says Museum of International Folk Art Executive Director Khristaan Villela. As a result, the Girard Wing benefited from $79,000 in funding to refresh its exhibition spaces. While the museum fell silent in the final months of FY2020, a creative clamor ensued in the community for the museum’s cultural and educational offerings. Working from home, museum staff kept folk art lovers connected through an ambitious calendar of online experiences. “The museum did an extraordinary job of moving its offerings online,” says Jamie Clements, President/CEO of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation, which provided private funding to support online education initiatives. “These virtual activities will certainly become a permanent part of the museum’s outreach to the world.”
“We have a long history of scholarly and public interest in New Mexico furniture.” Reaching Out to the World The museum’s Facebook page hosted four concert broadcasts, while its website launched the Docent’s Choice blog, in which volunteer docents discuss favorite collections objects. A brand new museum YouTube channel aired nearly 60 videos, including a 360-degree virtual tour of the
8 museumfoundation.org
