Sheldon Museum of Art
Sheldon Museum of Art Strategic Plan 2020–2025
12th and R Streets University of Nebraska–Lincoln 402.472.2461 sheldonartmuseum.org • @SheldonMuseum
About Sheldon Museum of Art and Sheldon Art Association Sheldon Museum of Art at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is one of the nation’s leading academic art museums. Its landmark Philip Johnson building houses the collections of the Sheldon Art Association, founded in 1888 with the mission of providing support for the visual arts at the university, and the University of Nebraska, which began collecting art in 1929. Today Sheldon holdings comprise more than 13,000 works of art in diverse media. The collection includes prominent works of nineteenthcentury landscape and still life, American impressionism, early modernism, geometric abstraction, abstract expressionism, minimalism, and photography. More than thirty of Sheldon’s large-scale sculptures are exhibited across the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s City and East Campuses, including major works by Gaston Lachaise, Jacques Lipchitz, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Richard Serra, and Mark di Suvero. In 1972, Sheldon was among the earliest institutions to receive accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums—the highest national recognition afforded museums in the United States—and was most recently reaccredited in 2012. The museum is free to the public and serves as an academic resource for students, faculty, and staff to connect with art and one another. With one of its highest priorities being the creation of opportunities for students to engage with art through inquiry-based teaching and close observation of objects, Sheldon has a robust program of academic engagement. During the 2018–2019 academic year, 7,300 University of Nebraska students participated in curricular activities in Sheldon galleries, and nearly 70,000 other students engaged with the museum and its collection online through the Sheldon website, weekly email on a featured artwork, and social media platforms. Sheldon Museum of Art is served by a public-private partnership between the University of Nebraska and the Sheldon Art Association, the museum’s dedicated nonprofit support organization. This partnership provides two avenues for financial contributions to the museum and its mission: the Sheldon Art Association and the University of Nebraska Foundation. Additionally, the National Endowment for the Arts, Henry Luce Foundation, and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) have provided funding to underwrite the continuing digitization and documentation of Sheldon-held works.
Opened in 1963, Sheldon was accepted to the prestigious National Register of Historic Places in 2013—the year of its 50th anniversary and the 125th anniversary of the Sheldon Art Association.
The Collection Sheldon’s collection comprises works of international distinction which the museum showcases in thematic presentations supplemented by traveling exhibitions and select incoming loans. Each year 60,000 people visit Sheldon and nearly 5,600 attend Sheldon Statewide exhibitions through which selected works from the collection travel to communities throughout Nebraska.Â
Due to the quality and significance of works in its collection, Sheldon is routinely asked to loan important artworks to internationally renowned museums. Since 2016, Sheldon has traveled 53 objects to 36 exhibitions at 60 different US and international venues, reaching more than 3.5 million museumgoers outside the state of Nebraska. Some of the artworks that have traveled recently to major exhibitions include: • Wayne Thiebaud’s Salads, Sandwiches, and Desserts International Pop (2016) Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA • Marsden Hartley’s Mount Katahdin, Autumn, No. 1 Picturing the Americas (2016) Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil Marsden Hartley’s Maine (2017) Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY; and Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, ME • Stuart Davis’s Arch Hotel In Full Swing: The Art of Stuart Davis (2016–17) Whitney Museum of Art, New York, NY; National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR • Georgia O’Keeffe’s New York, Night Georgia O’Keeffe (2016–17) Tate Modern, London, England; Bank Austria Kunstforum, Vienna, Austria; and Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada • Mark Rothko’s Yellow Band Abstract Expressionism (2017) Royal Academy of Arts, London, England; and Guggenheim Bilbao, Bilbao, Spain • Grant Wood’s Arnold Comes of Age (Portrait of Arnold Pyle) Grant Wood: American Gothic and Other Fables (2018) Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY • Charles White’s Frederick Douglass Lives Again (The Ghost of Frederick Douglass) Charles White: A Retrospective (2018–19) Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL; Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY; and Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA • Alexander Calder’s Snake on Arch and Sumac II Alexander Calder: Radical Inventor (2018–19) Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal, Canada, and National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia • David Park’s Canoe David Park: A Retrospective (2019–20) Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, TX; Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, MI; and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA • Robert Colescott’s Knowledge of the Past is the Key to the Future: The Other Washingtons Art and Race Matters: The Career of Robert Colescott (2019–2020) Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, OH; Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR; Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL; Akron Art Museum, Akron, OH; and Sarasota Museum of Art, Sarasota, FL
Academic and Community Engagement Art education and outreach programs create opportunities to advance creative, critical thinking. Through public programs, class visits, and collaboration in teaching and research, the museum supports educational enrichment and community engagement. Academic engagement is a priority at Sheldon. Over the course of the past five years, student engagement has more than doubled. •
During the 2018–2019 academic year, 7,300 students—28% of the University of Nebraska student population—engaged with the museum through class visits and either co- or extra-curricular programs, including study hall events in Sheldon’s Great Hall and special student workshops with visiting artists and scholars.
• In 2018–2019, more than 11,000 K–12 students across Nebraska engaged in object-based learning with the Sheldon collection through class visits and Sheldon Statewide programming. Additionally, online access to Sheldon’s permanent collection of more than 13,000 artworks engages viewers from any geographic location, opening doors to increased scholarship of the collection.
A Shared Mission In 2019, the University of Nebraska celebrated its 150th year with wideranging activities that included reflection on the past and strategic planning for the future. Sheldon Museum of Art, whose roots were established in 1888 by community members to support the study and appreciation of visual art at the university, remains a natural ally and innovative collaborator in the university’s mission. At the University of Nebraska, the principle that every person and every interaction matters guides all we do in pursuing our strategic aims for a diverse and inclusive campus at which the creative activities of students, staff, and faculty solve challenges critical to our communities, state, and world. Through its collections, exhibitions, and programs, Sheldon Museum of Art inspires inquiry and discovery requisite to such endeavors. Sheldon is an invaluable campus resource for students—co-creators of their twenty-first-century education—and for faculty and staff, for whom collaborative actions generate solutions that are superior to those made independently. The strategic plan set forth on the following pages provides a course for Sheldon, an agile and innovative academic art museum, to reach its bold mission and to support that of the University of Nebraska.
Ronnie Green Chancellor University of Nebraska–Lincoln
A Clear Vision The arts have been part of the University of Nebraska from its inception in 1867, providing the impetus for our collections and museum. In 1884 Sarah Wool Moore, an artist who had studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and traveled Europe extensively, was hired by Nebraska University to serve as the first director of its art department. With aspirations of establishing a museum collection to educate young artists and to support the economic development of Lincoln, Moore and sixty-seven community members met on May 3, 1888, to form a fine arts society—the Haydon Art Club, later the Nebraska Art Association, and now the Sheldon Art Association. Within months of their initial meeting, the group presented its first exhibition, consisting of a single, large-scale painting rented from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exhibition was so wildly popular that the superintendent of the Burlington Railroad scheduled special round-trip excursions from Nebraska towns to accommodate those interested in viewing the work. Continuity in member support from the 1880s forward has positioned the museum to evolve, grow, and innovate. Today, students in fields from the classics to nanoscience participate in object-based learning through engagement with the museum’s collection of more than 13,000 artworks. Train travel is no longer required; an online database makes Sheldon’s collection accessible to students, researchers, and art lovers 24/7/365. For nearly sixty years, Sheldon’s landmark Philip Johnson building has been a venue for students, faculty and staff, alumni, and visitors to engage with art and one another. Its galleries feature new exhibitions each semester, and its Great Hall transitions for a range of social events from the energetic commotion of First Fridays to the relative quiet of study halls for University of Nebraska students. Through this strategic plan, we dedicate ourselves again to the enduring missions of teaching, research, and service on which the University of Nebraska and Sheldon Museum of Art were founded.
Wally Mason Director and Chief Curator Sheldon Museum of Art
Mission and Core Aspirations Mission Through our collections, exhibitions, and programs, Sheldon Museum of Art inspires inquiry and discovery, serving the University of Nebraska, the state, and beyond. Core Aspirations Sheldon Museum of Art supports the four core aspirations of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, as set forth in its N2025 Strategic Plan:
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Nebraska students co-create their experience Our research and creativity transform lives and learning Every person and every interaction matters Engagement builds communities
Guiding Principles, Objectives, and Strategies for 2020–2025 We have identified four principles to guide our twenty-first-century organization in building upon a legacy that dates back to 1888. Objectives and strategies give action to these principles, emphasize current priorities, and present to all stakeholders, including ourselves, how we will achieve our goals. Across all aims, we will capitalize on strengths and opportunities, working creatively within the context of our environment.
Stewardship and Sustainability Strategic stewardship of our resources—funding, staff, collection, building, and stakeholders—will build the stability necessary to fulfill our mission and innovate in the face of the changing landscape of museums, higher education, and support for the arts. Central to this management is working within our institutional capacity and balancing services to the university, the state, and beyond. Objectives and Strategies: Stabilize operational funding outside of the university’s allocation from the Nebraska Legislature
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Secure unrestricted streams of income Establish a planned giving program Cultivate relations with donors and members Create endowments for key staff positions
Cultivate a healthy organizational culture around shared values, best practices, and collaboration
• Create opportunities for professional growth and leadership • Build reflective and collaborative practices across the organization • Empower staff and recognize their achievements and contributions
Grow campus partnerships to further integrate Sheldon into the intellectual and social life of the university • •
Connect the museum’s programs, initiatives, and resource development to intellectual discourse on campus Leverage expertise on campus in development of museum exhibitions, programs, and resources
Actively develop and care for the collection to build on its strengths and support teaching and learning • Continue to meet the standards of preservation of Sheldon’s Philip Johnson–designed building, as required by its status as an historic landmark • Revise the collection development and care plans and further implement best practices • Attend to the accuracy and thoroughness of our collection data • Enhance collection research and share findings with stakeholders through different platforms
Profile and Presentation How we present ourselves to diverse audiences—within and outside the physical museum, in our communications, and through our programs—impacts perceptions of and experiences with the museum. Elevating Sheldon’s profile through communication centered on the museum’s resources, services, and expertise increases Sheldon’s effectiveness in serving audiences at the university, in the state, and beyond. Objectives and Strategies: Position the visitor as central to all that we do
• Define a meaningful visitor experience and learn about our audiences • Enhance and make full use of the welcoming features of the building • Optimize visitor services, operations, and security
Reinforce the museum’s mission as a teaching and research institution and expand its academic role on campus • • •
Document and share our work, especially our success stories Expand promotion of our resources, services, and expertise Develop the collection and exhibition interpretation to support a sustained program of interdisciplinary initiatives and cross-disciplinary learning
Develop a holistic strategy for museum communications • Refresh Sheldon’s brand and visual identity • Develop a marketing plan that connects vision to audience-specific messaging • Increase awareness of the museum at the national, regional, and campus levels • Leverage social media platforms in the service of presenting Sheldon communication to various audiences Enhance access to the museum building, resources, and staff expertise • • •
Expand and make available museum research through interpretation and publications Improve search and discovery in the online collection database Create more robust online content
Left: Photo by Kale Gardner, University of Nebraska–Lincoln sophomore Secondary Social Science Education major
Experiential and Innovative Engagement We want to make Sheldon a dynamic space—both physical and virtual— where learners of all ages and backgrounds can be inspired and grow intellectually through active engagement with art. As a university art museum, we are uniquely situated to catalyze learning through experimentation, risktaking, and innovation, and to promote interdisciplinary conversations as a means to cultivate globally engaged citizens. Objectives and Strategies: Position Sheldon and its collection as primary campus resources for experiential learning, innovative teaching, and research • Develop models, resources, and outreach strategies for campus collaboration and partnerships with faculty, students, staff, and university affiliates • Connect with messaging and resources focused on innovative pedagogy • Sustain and enhance student participation in and experiences with the museum Develop exhibitions and programs to generate and contextualize challenging conversations that promote intellectual exploration • • •
Engage in interdisciplinary inquiry through research and collaboration Enhance connections between curriculum and the museum’s collections, exhibitions, and programs Contribute to academic and professional discourse beyond the University of Nebraska community
Cultivate lifelong learning and foster curiosity and creativity in all learners, pre-K–12 through adult • • •
Develop interactive and participatory experiences in the galleries and online Create inclusive, diverse, and equitable programs and partnerships Support educators with professional development opportunities and teaching resources
Inclusive and Relevant Programming Inclusive, diverse, and equitable programming and practices will ensure that the museum presents meaningful and memorable experiences with art for all audiences. Acknowledging that everyone brings unique perspectives and expectations, we aim to provide a space for challenging assumptions, asking questions, and sharing perspectives. Objectives and Strategies: Create an accessible environment and opportunities for diverse community participation • • •
Leverage the web and technology to expand engagement opportunities beyond the walls of the museum Expand our communications and resources for all visitors Foster/cultivate an internal culture of reflection and collaboration with an eye toward the development of new ideas and methods
Employ a range of voices, perspectives, and experiences to develop robust and relevant content • Organize exhibitions and develop the collections to support teaching and research • Expand representation in the permanent collection and in exhibition programming • Be transparent in curatorial and interpretation decisions that we make, as the museum is not a neutral space • Contribute to the diversification of museum professions by supporting student participation in the life and work of the museum through paid internships, strong mentorships, and other opportunities Engage in assessment strategies that focus on impact and support audience needs • Listen to diverse stakeholders to more fully understand their perceptions and expectations and demonstrate that we value them • Develop tools and processes for collecting visitor and tour group data • Develop and consistently implement quantitative and qualitative evaluations to assess the impact of our activities on audience engagement • Establish measures of success during the planning process for all activities
Strategic Planning Process Through a year-long series of planning sessions involving numerous stakeholders and community members, Sheldon has refined its strategic course to reflect its position as an internationally significant university art museum and a vital, integral contributor to academic life at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Sheldon’s 2020–2025 strategic plan is primarily a vision tool; it establishes a series of guiding principles with objectives and strategies that communicate to all stakeholders, including museum staff, where Sheldon is heading over the next five years. In 2019, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln celebrated its 150th year by formulating a bold vision for the next twenty-five years and committing to benchmarks for the period 2020– 2025. Sheldon’s 2020–2025 strategic plan supports that of the university, building on the museum’s strengths, commitment to excellence, and distinctive areas for strategic growth.
Strategic Planning Participants Sheldon Museum of Art Staff Monica Babcock, Associate to the Director and Administrative Project Manager Ann Gradwohl, Public Relations and Marketing Manager Wally Mason, Director and Chief Curator Susan McIntosh Kriz, Associate Director Carrie Morgan, Former Curator of Academic Programs Laura Reznicek, Development Director Todd J. Tubutis, Former Associate Director Melissa Yuen, Associate Curator of Exhibitions Sheldon Art Association Board
Jack Campbell, Member Emeritus Jennifer Cintani David Clark, Vice President of Collections Geoff Cline, Immediate Past President Annie Crimmins, Past President Bart Dillashaw Jon Gross, President Candy Henning, Honorary Member Julie Jacobson Kathryn LeBaron, Honorary Member Barbara McCuen Cindy Morris, Treasurer Vicki Northrup, Honorary Member Martha Richardson, Member Emerita Rhonda Seacrest, Honorary Member Lisa Smith, Honorary Member Rich Vierk, Member Emeritus Donna Woods
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Ellen Donnelly, Assistant Professor, Architecture Regina Flowers, Love Library Learning Commons Manager, University Libraries Charlie Foster, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Office of Academic Success and Intercultural Services Dana Fritz, Professor, School of Art, Art History and Design Richard Graham, Associate Professor, University Libraries Ronnie Green, Chancellor Christine Haney, Program Coordinator and Advisor, Environmental Studies Aaron Holz, Professor, School of Art, Art History and Design Ashley Hussman, Curator and Museum Administrator, Center for Great Plains Studies Andy Jewell, Professor, University Libraries Colleen Jones, Associate Professor of Practice Emerita, Management Sarah Karle, Associate Professor, Landscape Architecture Program Meg Lauerman, Assistant Professor Emerita, Advertising Leslie Levy, Director, International Quilt Study Center and Museum Christin Mamiya, Professor Emerita, School of Art, Art History and Design
Bill Nunez, Vice Chancellor, Business and Finance Chuck O’Connor, Dean, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts Francisco Souto, Director, School of Art, Art History and Design Amy Struthers, Interim Dean, College of Journalism and Mass Communications Will Thomas, Professor, History Tyler White, Assistant Professor of Practice, Political Science Kirstin Wilder, Senior Director of Publications, Nebraska Alumni Association Mike Zeleny, Associate to the Chancellor, Office of the Chancellor Lincoln Community Members Jim Bockelman, Professor of Art and Director of Marxhausen Gallery of Art, Concordia University Lynn Boyer, Donor Joel Brightfelt, Donor Mary Campbell, Donor and Volunteer Docent Kyle Cartwright, Executive Director, Nebraska Cultural Endowment Bridget Cooks, Associate Professor of African American Studies and Art History, University of California, Irvine Nancy Dawson, Volunteer Docent Robert Duncan, Chair, Sheldon Advisory Board Nancy Friedemann-Sanchez, Artist Charlie Friedman, Artist Victoria Grasso, President, Cooper Foundation Karen Janovy, Former Director of Education Orville Jones, Volunteer Docent Toby Jurovics, Chief Curator, Joslyn Art Museum Buck Kiechel, Owner, Kiechel Fine Art Marc LeBaron, Donor Theresa Luisotti, Owner, Gallery Luisotti Jessica Masterson, Volunteer Docent Marjorie Mikasen, Artist Anne Pagel, Curator, Duncan Collection Phil Perry, Donor Larry Reger, Donor Lorinda Rice, Curriculum Specialist for Visual Art, Lincoln Public Schools Jane Rohman, Donor Chris Sommerich, Executive Director, Humanities Nebraska Todd Stein, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mid-America Arts Alliance Mary Ann Sullivan, Donor and Volunteer Docent Steve Wake, Donor Deb Weber, Executive Director, Lincoln Arts Council Suzanne Wise, Executive Director, Nebraska Arts Council L. Kent Wolgamott, Arts and Entertainment Journalist, Lincoln Journal Star
Annual Gifts to Support Sheldon
Strategic Plan Partners
Museum Partners
Collector Circle
Cooper Foundation Dillon Foundation
Ameritas Rich Bailey Jennifer and Brian Cintani David Clark Framing Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather D.A. Davidson Enterprise Legal Studio Myrna and Bill Kubly Martin and Ruth Massengale Art Education and Outreach Fund Mutual of Omaha Bank Tracy Sanford and Matthew Wood Rhonda Seacrest and Steve Wake Security First Bank James Stuart III Family Foundation Helen Y. Thompson Art Gallery Fund University of Nebraska Foundation Donna Woods and Jon Hinrichs Pace Woods Foundation
Brenda and John Badami Amy and Brian Baxter Patricia Bennett Jason Bombeck Jennifer and Brian Cintani Marilyn and Bill Cintani David Clark and Jay Conrad Kristen and Geoff Cline Randy and John Daubert Karen and Robert Duncan Shanti Gangadharan and Sagar Damle Melanie and Jon Gross Julie and Jay Hash Nelle and John-Paul Jamison Meg and Jim Lauerman Sara and Jim McLoughlin Mary and Robert Nefsky Martha and Wally Richardson Debbie and Lee Stuart Sue and Tom Tallman Karen and Rich Vierk Nancy and John Wiederspan Birgit Young
Cornerstone Partners Frank M. Hall Charitable Trust Candy and Tom Henning Institute of Museum and Library Services Kathryn and Marc LeBaron Robert E. Schweser & Fern Beardsley Schweser Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery Fund Olga N. Sheldon Memorial Fund
Sustaining Partners Ethel S. Abbott Charitable Foundation Hixson-Lied Endowment Lannan Foundation Roseann and Philip L. Perry Ann Rawley
Director’s Partners Assurity Thomas J. and Nancy M. Milliken Fund Nebraska Arts Council Nebraska Cultural Endowment Peck Stacpoole Foundation Charles W. Rain & Charlotte Rain Koch Gallery Fund Annette and Paul Smith
Executive Partners Joell Johnson Brightfelt Acquisition Fund Kristen and Geoff Cline Karen and Robert Duncan Farmers Mutual of Nebraska Melanie and Jon Gross Richard Hay Sheldon Museum Fund Meg and Jim Lauerman Lincoln Industries Mapes Industries Merrill Lynch—The Roper Bennett Team Peed Foundation Fern Witwer Strain Sheldon Museum of Art Fund Lee and Debbie Stuart Family Foundation Sutton Dermatology + Aesthetics Union Bank & Trust
Sheldon Circle Roseann and Philip L. Perry Rhonda Seacrest
Trustees Circle Ann Rawley
Directors Circle Candy and Tom Henning Barbara and Dan Howard Kathryn and Marc LeBaron Erica Peterson and Bart Dillashaw Donde Plowman and Dennis Duchon Bonnie and Richard Quinn Annette and Paul Smith Lisa and Tom Smith Nancy and Dennis Stara Steve Wake Donna Woods and Jon Hinrichs
Curators Circle Phyllis Acklie Marcia Bergmeyer JoAnne and Bob Bettenhausen Annie and Eric Crimmins Victoria and Dan Grasso Maja and Ben Harris Joyce and Jim Holtmeier Susan and John Hoppe Deanna and Mark Hutchins Julie and Mike Jacobson Karen and John Janovy, Jr. Jean Jeffrey Susan Kuck Yvonne and Kam Ching Leung Judith Sasso-Mason and Wally Mason Ruth and Martin Massengale Barbara McCuen Cindy and William Morris Susan and Harvey Perlman Harriet and Tom Potter Sue Quambusch and Len Sloup Tracy Sanford and Matthew Wood Patty and Earl Scudder Jennifer Shaw and Brennen Miller Nana G. H. Smith and James B. Milliken Carol and Art Thompson Erin and Andrew Willis Bonnie K. Zetterman Brenda Zitek
This image of Sheldon’s landmark Philip Johnson building accompanied a recent New York Times travel article about things to do in Lincoln. It appears here with permission of the photographer, Rana Young.