Norton Museum Of Art Inc

Acquisitions and conservationas a collecting institution, the norton is actively engaged in stewarding its permanent collection through conservation and enhancing its holdings through ongoing acquisition. In 2023-24, the museum's works of art committee approved 172 acquisitions, including significant paintings, photographs, and works on paper. These additions-some promised, others outright and purchased-have helped introduce new, world class works of art to the norton's collection, which now totals 8,620. In an effort to share its resources with other museums across the nation, the norton loaned 7 total works of art from the permanent collection last year. Further, the museum also welcomed 351 objects from partner museums to enhance the season's special exhibitions and presentations. Notable acquisitions accessioned to the collection include: untitled (1976), a remarkable black-and-white photograph by american auto-portraitist francesa woodman; dragon-decorated circular box (circa 907 - early 1000s), a precious and rare chinese stoneware box from the song dynasty; and the cardinal (1964), the first example of a work by american feminist artist judy chicago to enter the norton's permanent collection. The norton continues to monitor its collection with frequent examination and conservation treatments that adhere to industry best practices. One major and successful conservation effort completed in 2023-24 is american sculptor louise nevelson's night wall vi (1976). This monumental aluminum sculpture had been in storage since the norton acquired it in 2006 and had never been publicly displayed at the museum due to its poor condition. Conservation of the work addressed significant structural repairs, treated surface corrosion and rust, and coated the work, ensuring it can be safely and indefinitely exhibited at the main entrance of the museum's 37,200 square-foot sculpture garden. Today, night wall vi is fully restored and has joined the company of 13 other celebrated artists in the garden - such as keith haring, antony gormley, franz west, and fernand leger, among others - and now proudly stands as one of two woman artists represented in this space (alongside jenny holzer). This is just one example of how ongoing conservation is critical to the health and longevity of the norton's permanent collection: these efforts ensure the preservation of cultural heritage for future generations and enable the presentation of a wider diversity of works for public access and enjoyment today.

Learning & community engagementin 2023-24, the museum's learning and community engagement department presented an outstanding season of programs enjoyed by over 113,300 visitors. These programs played a key role in advancing the norton's mission by engaging diverse audiences, fostering community dialogue, and promoting appreciation for art through the exploration of a broad range of themes and topics. In order to create an inclusive and varied calendar of programs each year, the norton's learning and community engagement department collaborates with a community committee comprised of internal and external stakeholders, from west palm beach residents to local civic and institutional leaders. The committee is tasked with helping to curate a season of programs that reflects the region's growing diversity and engages the public in new and exciting ways. Thanks to this continued focus and dedication, the 2023-24 season featured a wide array of unique and accessible programs designed for k-12 and college students, children and families, and adults and lifelong learners, among others constituents that visit the norton regularly. Public programs continue to be at the forefront of the museum's most visible offerings and serve as an important means for connecting with visitors. In 2023-24, the norton was proud to host over 285 public programs, with 75 intended for family audiences and the remaining 210 for adult participation. Key family programs included: art-making workshops like family studio, art and literature mash-up programs like book + art, dance and musical performances, year-round programs like school's out!, and more. Popular adult public programs included: lecture and panels like the edlavitch lecture series and artspeaks; community partnership events like the subtropic film festival and art on tap; and art after dark, a weekly friday night program centered around celebrating the norton's collection, special exhibitions, and the local community. The norton's roster of lectures and panels brought renowned cultural leaders to west palm beach to share their expertise and insights, including: jeff rosenheim (metropolitan museum, new york), kaywin feldman (national gallery of art, washington, dc), rob wynne (sculptor and installation artist), eric fischl (painter and sculptor), bob colacello (author), and joyce tennyson (photographer), among others. Additionally, the norton was pleased to welcome the general public through an ever-evolving program of docent- and curator-led tours, which help enhance the visitor experience by providing deeper cultural and historical context. In 2023-24, thanks to the commitment of 50 dedicated docents, the norton was able to host 390 school tours, reaching 8,100 students, and over 930 public tours that welcomed nearly 6,000 visitors to learn about the exceptional works on view. To broaden access and welcome even more visitors through its doors, the museum also hosted four free, campus-wide celebrations last year. Community days are a series of thematic festivals that celebrate identity and culture through engaging activations, including live performances, art-making workshops, tours, games, and more. Each festival focuses on the different communities and experiences that comprise south florida, drawing throughlines to the norton's collection and exhibitions. Over 4,500 visitors enjoyed free access to community days in 2023-24: the 10th annual lunar new year community day drew over 1,900 visitors; the 4th annual nuestra cultura community day drew over 800 visitors; the 4th annual juneteenth community day drew over 1,000 visitors; and the 4th annual games around the world community day drew over 900 visitors. The latter two community days were anchors to the museum's summer at the norton initiative, offering residents of west palm beach and palm beach county gratis saturday admission from memorial day through labor day, and free wellness programs including drum circle, tai chi classes, and guided meditation.a significant aspect of the norton's engagement initiatives is forging meaningful connections with the broader community. In 2023-24, the norton was able to achieve productive partnerships with community organizations through two key programs: afterschool arts outreach (aao) and the community access program (cap). Aao is a nationally-recognized program that partners with eight afterschool sites across palm beach county to bring arts-based activities directly to students every week, year-round. Last year, this program served over 5,300 children through art workshops, field trips tours of the museum, and an end-of-year culminating exhibition hosted in the norton's marden community gallery. The cap initiative focuses on reaching diverse audiences beyond the museum's walls by partnering with local organizations, from afterschool programs and community resource centers to social services agencies supporting marginalized populations across south florida. The norton is proud to report that since the initiative's inception in 2020, cap has grown to include over 35 local partners that reach over 1,500 constituents annually.

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