Newport Art Museum

Purpose: Serving as Centers of Community Engagement The Newport Art Museum and Art Association will purchase audiovisual equipment for the Griswold House's Ilgenfritz Gallery and Lecture Hall. The gallery was originally the Griswold family's stable. When the art association bought the property in 1915, it immediately attached the stable to the main house for use as a gallery. Today it is one of the largest galleries in southern New England, providing exhibition space and hosting lectures, museum programs, classes, and meetings. The space is available to local nonprofit agencies, businesses, and community members, but the inadequacy of the lighting and audiovisual equipment prevents its full use. This grant will enable the museum to upgrade the technical equipment in the space, purchasing a projector, electric ceiling screen, DVD player, VCR player, microphones, speakers, and a high-brightness slide projector. Faculty and staff will attend training classes to learn operation and maintenance of the equipment. Upgrading this equipment will allow the museum to offer community groups adequate and efficient meeting space for varied purposes and will directly affect current exhibits and educational programs.