JMAM Announces
Partnership with Speed Art Museum
The Janice Mason Art Museum (JMAM) announces
they have formed a formal collaboration with the Speed Art Museum of
Louisville, KY. The partnership is effective immediately and will
provide several unique opportunities for the Western Kentucky region.
Paul Fourshee, JMAM board secretary, stated that since the formation of
the museum the board has felt that partnerships are vitally important.
"Cadiz is a small town and consequently the museum is somewhat limited.
There are a number of objectives we are unable to accomplish on our
own," says Fourshee. "It is necessary that organizations like ours
cultivate partners."
"It is very exciting to be recognized by a respected organization such
as the Speed Art Museum," stated JMAM president Vicki Karrigan. JMAM
representatives have been talking with Peter Morin the Executive
Director of the Speed and other officials of the Speed for several
months arranging for this partnership.
The partnership will first become visible at JMAM in July when the Speed
Art Museum will provide professional development for Trigg County School
teachers from the elementary, middle, and high school. Next year the
programming will be expanded to include teachers from the entire western
region of the state. This arrangement will provide local staff
development opportunities for teachers from western KY without the
inconvenience of traveling to Louisville.
The Speed Art Museum has a reputation for providing the tools and
experiences necessary for integrating the arts into school systems. The
Speed Art Museum currently works with teachers in 57 counties in central
Kentucky. Trigg County School Superintendent Tim McGinnis expressed his
excitement regarding this partnership by saying, "This opportunity is
unique for our teachers and we are happy to continue the ongoing
partnership with the Janice Mason Art Museum ." Mary Ann Lander,
Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, remarked "This staff
development is critical for our arts and humanities teachers."
As the partnership develops it is possible that art will be loaned from
the Speed Museum to JMAM for exhibition. "The Speed has also offered
JMAM the benefit of advice from an experienced and trained professional
staff," said Fourshee. "We are fortunate to have a museum of such
caliber as the Speed Art Museum in Kentucky and even more privileged to
be able to work together right here in Cadiz."
The Janice Mason Art Museum and the Speed Art Museum are partially
funded by the Kentucky Arts Council, a state agency in the Commerce
Cabinet, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
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