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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 1, 2004 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN IN THE ARTS AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS FEDERAL GRANT TO CREATE DATABASE OF WOMEN ARTISTS Washington, D.C. - The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) has received a prestigious grant from the 2004 Museums for America program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The $138,751 grant will allow NMWA to build web-based access to its extensive database of more than 16,500 historic and contemporary women artists. Out of 829 applications, NMWA is one of 190 museums to be awarded the grant in 2004. "The development of our online database is vital to increasing the visibility, reputation, and public awareness of women in the arts, past and present," stated NMWA Director Judy L. Larson. "The women's museum is pleased to be recognized and supported by IMLS." The database currently exists as an index to NMWA's Archives on Women Artists, a collection of original and printed research materials housed in the museum's Library and Research Center. The Database Web Access Project will dramatically increase public awareness of these materials, enabling users across the nation to search for and identify artists based on criteria including primary media, home state, period of artistic practice, educational background, exhibition history, and awards received. As IMLS' largest grant program, Museums for America provides more than $15 million in grants that build the capability of museums to sustain cultural heritage, support lifelong learning, and serve as centers of community engagement. "With their rich collections, museums enable visitors to physically connect with history, science, and the creative process," said IMLS Director Dr. Robert S. Martin. "The Museums for America grants will help museums advance their role as trusted resources that serve communities by creating and sustaining a nation of learners." About the women's museum The National Museum of Women in the Arts, founded in 1981 and opened in 1987, is the only museum dedicated solely to celebrating the achievements of women in the visual, performing, and literary arts. Its permanent collection contains works by more than 800 artists, including Judith Leyster, Maria Sibylla Merian, Mary Cassatt, Camille Claudel, Georgia O'Keeffe, Frida Kahlo, Elizabeth Catlett, Lee Krasner, Helen Frankenthaler, and Louise Bourgeois. The museum also conducts multidisciplinary programs for diverse audiences, maintains a Library and Research Center, publishes a quarterly magazine, and has organized national and international committees. More than 110,000 people visit the museum each year, including thousands of young people who come with schools and scouting groups. NMWA's national membership of 37,500 is among the top ten percent of museum memberships nationwide. The museum is located at 1250 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, in a landmark building near the White House. It is open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m. For information call 202.783.5000 or visit the museum's website, <http://www.nmwa.org> www.nmwa.org. Media Contact Only: Rachel Applegate 202.783.7373 [log in to unmask] # # # Sharon M. Wasserman Director of the Library and Research Center National Museum of Women in the Arts 1250 New York Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20005 Direct line: 202-266-2806 <file:///\\www.nmwa.org> www.nmwa.org __________________________________________________________________ Mail submissions to [log in to unmask] For information about joining ARLIS/NA see: http://www.arlisna.org//membership.html Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc) to [log in to unmask] ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance: http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html Questions may be addressed to list owner (Kerri Scannell) at: [log in to unmask]