UNC News Services
The Ackland Art Museum has received $1.25 million from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to deepen and expand the museum’s role in the education of university students.
The museum will use the funds to engage UNC scholars and students in research, publication, interpretation and creation of exhibitions from the Ackland collection; give students opportunities to learn about the substance and methodology of museum work; and introduce graduate teaching assistants and faculty to ways of using artworks to support teaching and learning strategies that apply across academic departments and disciplines.
The New York foundation’s gift comes in the form of a $1 million challenge grant to establish an endowment to strengthen the curricular role of the museum’s collections and programs and $250,000 in spendable funds for use over three years to support this endeavor while matching funds are raised.
“Carolina’s relationship with the Mellon Foundation fuels many of our most adventurous and creative explorations in the humanities and fine arts,†Chancellor Holden Thorp said. “This latest grant challenges the Ackland and the University community to make the work of the museum inseparable from the work of the faculty. We couldn’t ask for an opportunity that better suits where we want to go in the integration of our public and academic programs.â€
In the past academic year, 6,858 undergraduate and graduate students from 78 different courses in 24 disciplines participated in curricular experiences at the Ackland. In recent years, activities have included specifically designed gallery classes, museum-related seminars and teaching exhibitions that have involved faculty and students working together to enrich the experiences of all museum visitors. Participants have included faculty and students in the arts, sciences and humanities.
Bernadette Gray-Little, executive vice chancellor and provost, said, “This work is already having an impact on the academic agenda of the University through collaborative exhibitions, teaching and research. We are grateful that this generous support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will enable the Ackland to dramatically expand opportunities for collaboration with faculty and create new interpretive strategies and new courses that focus on and engage the Ackland collection.â€