LSU Museum of Art (LSU MOA) in Baton Rouge, LA is pleased to announce The Winifred and Kevin P. Reilly Initiative for Underrepresented Artists has supported the acquisition of eight significant works by underrepresented artists for its permanent collection.

The Winifred and Kevin P. Reilly Initiative for Underrepresented Artists supports growth of LSU Museum of Art’s permanent collection by funding acquisitions of works by Black, Indigenous, and Latinx artists, including those of marginalized sexualities, gender identities, and communities. Winifred and Kevin P. Reilly supported acquisition of major work by MacArthur Fellow Carrie Mae Weems in 2018. In February of 2020, a larger vision came into focus for donor Winifred Reilly:

“Kevin and I developed this initiative with the museum staff to support structural change at LSU Museum of Art by fostering greater inclusivity. Supporting LSU MOA’s participation in Of/By/For All Change Network, development of a curatorial fellowship focused on African American art, and acquisitions by underrepresented artists are major steps toward lasting change. We hope this gift will encourage others to join us now and in future gifting to support LSU MOA’s commitment to become a place where everyone sees themselves, their culture, and their values represented.”

Working in conjunction with LSU Museum of Art’s Collecting Plan, which has focused purchasing funds on acquisitions by underrepresented artists since 2017, the Reillys committed an initial 500K to support this initiative to expand the collection in a more representative and inclusive way over two years. During the first year, funding focused on acquiring works by Black artists, including another MacArthur Fellow Whitfield Lovell, Sonya Clark, Radcliffe Bailey, Gordon Parks, Madelyn Sneed-Grays, and Mario Moore. Executive Director Daniel Stetson believes this first wave of acquisitions marks a major step forward:

“Last year we celebrated fifteen years in the Shaw Center for the Arts—fifteen years off campus with an expanded focus on contemporary art. Fifteen years before that, LSU left behind its title and role as the Anglo-American Museum of Art. These acquisitions signal another moment of transformation that affirms a foundational commitment to diversity and inclusion for the next fifteen years.”

The Winifred and Kevin P. Reilly Initiative for Underrepresented Artists also funds research for these ambitious acquisitions and new perspectives on LSU Museum of Art’s permanent collection by supporting a newly developed Curatorial Fellowship focusing on African American Art. LSU Museum of Art is in the midst of a national search for a curatorial fellow with the goal to join LSU Museum of Art’s staff in the spring of 2021. An exhibition featuring recent acquisitions will open March 28, 2021.

LEARN MORE Watch Fort Worth Community Arts Center Facebook Live video below with LSU MOA Curator Courtney Taylor and Winifred Reilly on their Boxed Lunch Series to learn more about this initiative.

ABOUT LSU MUSEUM OF ART

LSU Museum of Art seeks to enrich and inspire through collections, exhibitions, conservation, and education, serving as a cultural and intellectual resource for the University, Baton Rouge, and beyond.

LSU Museum of Art is supported in part by a grant from the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, funded by the East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President and Metro Council. Additional support is provided by generous donors to the Annual Exhibition Fund, members, and community partners. Funding for Louisiana Culture Care Fund grants has been provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and administered by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH) as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act economic stabilization plan. Support provided by Art Bridges. Additional support is provided by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council, as administered by the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, Inc. Funding has also been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, Art Works. Thank you to the following sponsors of Free Friday Nights and Free First Sundays at LSU MOA: Louisiana Lottery Corporation and IBERIABANK, a division of First Horizon, for sponsoring free admission and LA CAT for sponsoring programming.

VISITOR INFORMATION

The museum is located in downtown Baton Rouge at 100 Lafayette Street on the Fifth Floor of the Shaw Center for the Arts. General admission is $5 each for adults and children age 13 and over. Admission is free to university faculty and students with ID, children age 12 and under, and museum members. Active duty military members, first responders, and their families receive free admission with ID as part of the Blue Star Museums program. Masks are required during museum visitation and LSU MOA no-touch digital gallery resources can be accessed here: www.lsumoa.org/digital  Museum Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday and Friday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday 1-5 p.m.; and closed on Mondays and major holidays. Free admission occurs on the first Sunday of each month and every Friday night from 5-8 p.m. For more information: visit www.lsumoa.org, call 225-389-7200, and follow the museum on social media @lsumoa for exhibition and program updates.

###