Denver, CO – August 17, 2023 – The Clyfford Still Museum (CSM) received a three-year Museums for America award totaling $209,235 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This grant will support the Museum’s partnerships with community-based organizations to expand access to Art Crawl, a program for infants (newborns through 14 months) and their caregivers.
The Art Crawl expansion will include programming in community-based early learning centers that reach audiences traditionally excluded from arts-based education experiences. Project activities include audience evaluation to learn from the community, improve quality, provide professional development for teachers, ensure inclusive and culturally responsive programs, and update the learning environment to create a sense of belonging and well-being.
The expansion project will remove barriers to participation and help the community see the Museum as a resource for infants and families. It will result in welcoming art-based early childhood programming that provides opportunities for caregivers to impact their baby’s learning by increasing language, literacy, and cognitive skills.
“We are thrilled to receive this funding to expand access to Art Crawl over the next three years,” said Nicole Cromartie, CSM director of learning and engagement. “Since we launched Art Crawl in March 2022, we’ve reached capacity at almost every session, but many barriers still exist for caregivers and infants to participate. Our community including infant teachers, and staff from museums, libraries, and other community centers across the Front Range have expressed interest in hosting Art Crawl in their centers.”
CSM launched Art Crawl in response to needs expressed by young families and early learning educators in the community. The Museum hosts two to three monthly sessions with different themes and activities.
About the Clyfford Still Museum
Designed by Allied Works Architecture to display the revolutionary art of one of the 20th century’s greatest artists, the Clyfford Still Museum opened in November 2011 in Denver’s Golden Triangle Creative District. Considered one of the most important and mysterious painters of the 20th century, Clyfford Still (1904-1980) was among the first generation of abstract expressionist artists who developed a new and powerful approach to painting in the years during and immediately after World War II. The Museum’s collection represents more than 93% of the artist’s lifetime output. As the steward of Still’s art and legacy, the Museum’s mission is to preserve, exhibit, study, and foster engagement with its unique collections; generate outstanding exhibitions, scholarly research, educational and other cross-disciplinary programs that broaden the definition of a “single-artist” museum; and be a gathering place for the exploration of innovation and individual artistic endeavor. Connect with the Clyfford Still Museum on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or at clyffordstillmuseum.org.
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
# # #