University of Iowa (Stanley Museum of Art, University of Iowa)

The University of Iowa will expand the Stanley Museum of Art's Senior Living Communities Program, which brings art programming and interactive activities to seniors in long-term care facilities in Southeast Iowa. The museum will combine its resources with the Pentacrest Museums, Office of the State Archaeologist, and University Libraries to develop synchronous virtual programs for populations especially vulnerable to COVID-19 and underserved in outreach programs with a goal to increase participants' sense of connection and well-being and decrease their feelings of isolation. The project team will develop a web portal that responsively adjusts to audience needs based on assessment data. Themed online modules will include scheduled live-streamed interactive video presentations, a library of pre-recorded videos, high-resolution images, collection guides, and activities for users to explore. The university will also preserve salaries for project staff whose jobs have been jeopardized by the pandemic.