Students from Lucia Mar Unified School District after an art lesson at SLOMA. Photo by Heraldo Creative Studio.
Grants awarded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services
—The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (SLOMA) is excited to announce that they have been awarded two transformative grants by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), totaling over $250,000.
The first grant was awarded through the IMLS Inspire! Grants for Small Museums program. The Inspire program is designed to support small museums of all disciplines in serving communities throughout the United States. The local museum was one of only 78 small museums nationwide to be selected for this year’s grant program. The award will support an upcoming exhibition at SLOMA by emerging California artist Deanna Barahona, as well as free community programming created in collaboration with community partners including Cal Poly and the Latino Outreach Council.
The second grant was awarded through the IMLS Museums For America program, their largest museum grant program supporting museums of all sizes and disciplines in strategic, project-based efforts to serve the public. SLOMA was one of only 115 institutions nationwide to be selected for this grant. The award will support and expand SLOMA’s community engagement and youth art education initiatives over the next three years, including their popular Second Saturdays family art events and arts curriculum support for school teachers in the Lucia Mar Unified School District.
“I am so proud of this recognition of SLOMA’s good work,” said Leann Standish, SLOMA executive director. “Our amazing partner organizations throughout SLO County continue to help us grow so that we can work together in making arts programming available to everyone.”
“Small museums exist across a wide range of disciplines and geographies,” said Acting IMLS Director Cyndee Landrum. “Many serve as the only cultural institution in their community. Federal investment in small museums is an investment in access to art, science, history, and the preservation of local culture and stories. The IMLS mission is to support small museums as the engines of vibrant, thriving communities.”
The IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s approximately 120,000 libraries and 35,000 museums and related organizations. The agency’s mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Its grant-making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive.
Visit the museum
SLOMA is located at 1010 Broad Street, near Mission Plaza, in San Luis Obispo. Open Thursday-Monday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., free admission. For more information visit sloma.org, call (805) 543-8562, or follow on social media.
