The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Art Ventures Fund by presenting a retrospective exhibition that will showcase works from nearly three dozen different artists. The Art Ventures Fund annually gives grants to small arts organizations and individual artists to assist them with furthering their craft. The exhibition has opened to the public and will run through February 21.
Included among the artists who are part of the show are Gail Beveridge, Linda Broadfoot, Sarah Crooks, and 27 others, each meant to represent the 30 years Art Ventures has been active. Guests and members will be able to access the exhibition with general admission along with free admission days. Furthermore, various artists will be performing live on select PNC Bank Free Fridays from 4-9 PM while the exhibition is running.
Multiple donors enlisted in the fund when it first started and each matched the price of a grant given by the National Endowment of the Arts. These investments alone have helped more than 200 artists and almost 100 small arts organizations with the annual donations. The fund, which was launched in 1990, has invested more than $1.4 million since it began. President of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida Nina Waters expresses her appreciation,
“Our community owes a debt of gratitude for the foresight of people like Ann McDonald Baker, Courtenay Wilson and Andy Bell, and the donors they enlisted for the Art Ventures Fund more than 30 years ago. This investment in the arts has enriched our lives in Northeast Florida and will continue to do so.”
To make guests feel as comfortable as possible during the pandemic, the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is following strict policies to keep guests safe as they attend the exhibition. Many safety and sanitary measures have been implemented to ensure that guests are minimally exposed to the coronavirus during their visit. The museum will include hand sanitizer stations, extensive daily cleaning, plexiglass guards for the front desk, mask requirements, and protocols for social distancing.
