Minneapolis Institute of Art

For the past three years Kprecia Ambers has worked with students as a guest teaching artist on the Racism as a Public Health Crisis program at Mia, in partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. We’re delighted to see her fantastic work continuing to be recognized. From Star Tribune: “Minneapolis illustrator brings diversity to design to ‘celebrate Afro beauty and resilience’” https://lnkd.in/gwjAyCfv

We’ve revamped our guide program and are seeking volunteers! Are you interested? There are now two options: leading school groups or hosting Discovery Days, a new program involving discussions in the galleries and art activities. While school guides might lead up to two tours a week, Discovery Days can be a one day a month commitment. Applications are open though August 26. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3M7LSCe

As the dog days of summer come to a close, take in a brief, fur-filled history of canines in Mia’s collection from the blog. Almost as long as people have been making art, it seems, they have made art of dogs. A few years ago, researchers exploring a cliff in the Arabian desert came across some highly detailed engravings on the cliff face, made more than 8,000 years ago—the oldest depictions ever found of dogs. Thirteen of them, wearing leashes. You can see this ubiquity at Mia, as nearly every corner of the collection—from across the world and thousands of years of history—features canines. They are, in a sense, our shadows across time: whatever we’re up to, whatever values we hold, eventually it all shows up in our dogs. Check out the highlights: https://lnkd.in/gWXvvsTV

Since the inception of the modern Olympic Games, in 1896, over 130 sports have been contested. Everyone knows the standards (gymnastics, track and field, swimming) and perhaps some of the oddities that have come and gone (tug-o-war, live pigeon shooting!). But did you know that between 1912 and 1952, several different types of art competitions were included as part of the Games? During those forty years, over 150 medals were awarded across fine arts disciplines—the only requirement was that entries had to be inspired by athletic endeavors. How was it that the early modern Games included art events in its programming? Take a deep dive into the history and events of the Olympic arts: https://lnkd.in/etfzag9J

For many years, Mia’s volunteer guides—known as docents then—underwent two years of training, a kind of master’s in Mia’s collection and facilitating tours. Much has changed. For the next cohort of guides, starting in September, the training period will be thirteen weeks—a mix of online and in-person classes. And the volunteering options have been simplified to two: leading school groups or hosting Discovery Days, a new program involving discussions in the galleries and art activities. While school guides might lead up to two tours a week, Discovery Days can be a one day a month commitment. The goal, says Debra Hegstrom, Mia’s Senior Educator, is to broaden participation: “We’re really rethinking what it means to be a volunteer, who is a volunteer, and how they do it.” Focus groups, studies of other museums, and discussions with current guides helped reshape the program, which has often been at the vanguard of education, Hegstrom says, from open inquiry that invites student participation to visual thinking strategies. “We’ve always looked at where the field is going and how we can contribute to that.” “We’re much more focused now on having a conversation with people,” says Kara ZumBahlen, Mia’s Associate Educator, “rather than simply relaying facts about the art. We want to invite people to make connections with the art and how it relates to their lives.” Leading school groups remains the largest need. And with more diversity in the region’s schools, the desire for more diversity in the guide corps helped inspire some of the program changes. Other tweaks are simply the result of how information is shared: for the first time, with so much online to learn from, there’s no textbook required for the training. Continue reading about Mia's guide program and learn how to get involved: https://lnkd.in/g2bh3PTk

Mia’s summer campaign was featured in OOH TODAY's top 10 best creative last week! Shoutout to the design team at Mia and our partners at Media Bridge. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gQE7tKD8 See it for yourself all over the Twin Cities. 🚌

We are honored to celebrate the vibrant work of Luis Fitch! Known for his art on stamps, at Target, and in public spaces, you can now experience his dynamic art as part of our Vitality Arts program, fostering creativity and cultural engagement. Learn more about Luis Fitch's artistic journey here: [Star Tribune Article](https://bit.ly/4eSild7) #VitalityArts #LuisFitch #Mia #CulturalEngagement

Mia's Chief Audience & Engagement Officer, Lynn Farmer was named one of the top 50 women leaders of Minneapolis by Women We Admire. Read about it here: https://lnkd.in/gvKMA5Fb

Mia’s collection goes far beyond what you see in the galleries—at any given time, only a small percentage can be shown on the walls. Of the pieces in storage, the majority are prints and drawings, but these works don’t languish behind the scenes: everyone is welcome to make an appointment to view up to fifteen prints and drawings in the Herschel V. Jones Print Study Room. Whatever you’d like to see, whenever you’d like to see it. Think of it as curating your very own special exhibition. New from the blog, follow Mia Visitor Experience Representative Allison Jones to the print study room to explore queer themes in the collection via prints not often seen. What insights might emerge from works where queer people were in control of the narrative? ➡️ https://bit.ly/3KuHAUJ

Mia's Audience team recently joined director Katie Luber for a tour of some of her favorite Spanish works on view. What are your must-see works at Mia?