The Westmoreland to Join Association of Art Museum Directors’ Seventh Annual Celebration of Art Museum Day on May 18, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS:
Claire Ertl, Director of Marketing & Public Relations
724.837.1500 x128
certl@thewestmoreland.org
Charlene Bidula, Manager of Communications
724.837.1500 x133
cbidula@thewestmoreland.org
GREENSBURG, PA, Tuesday, May 10, 2016 – The Westmoreland Museum of American Art announces that it will offer free admission and a SmART Chat Gallery Talk with Chief Curator Barbara Jones in the Telling Tales: Stories and Legends in 19th-century American Art exhibition on Wednesday, May 18 as part of the Association of Art Museum Directors’ (AAMD) Art Museum Day, coinciding with International Museum Day on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. Last year, The Westmoreland—along with more than 150 other AAMD member museums across North America—participated in Art Museum Day.
By providing new opportunities for participation in the diverse range of programs offered by AAMD member museums, Art Museum Day celebrates the value of the visual arts and the important role art museums play in their communities.
The Westmoreland also invites visitors to share their experiences on Art Museum Day via social media, with the hashtag #ArtMuseumDay. This year, AAMD is working with Snapchat to showcase Art Museum Day and the variety of special activities and offerings provided by participating member museums. On May 18, International Museum Day will be featured on Snapchat as one of their “Live Stories,” enabling users to share their experiences and to see how others around the world are celebrating Art Museum Day.
“We welcome visitors to enjoy this day celebrating the important role art museums play in their communities,” said Judith O’Toole, The Richard M. Scaife Director/CEO of The Westmoreland. “We will be offering free admission as well as a fun art scavenger hunt and invite guests to join us from 7-8pm for a gallery talk hosted by Chief Curator Barbara Jones.”
“AAMD is delighted that The Westmoreland Museum of American Art is joining us in celebration of Art Museum Day,” said Chris Anagnos, Executive Director of AAMD. “In AAMD’s 100th-anniversary year, we are especially proud to celebrate the vital role art museums play in the civic and creative life in our communities.”
AAMD represents 242 art museums across the United States, Canada, and Mexico—from regional museums to large museums in major urban centers. International Museum Day is organized annually around the world by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). AAMD’s Art Museum Day is an opportunity to focus attention on the role of art museums in North America, as part of ICOM’s global celebration.
A comprehensive list of participating AAMD member art museums will be available on the AAMD website. Note that while AAMD’s Art Museum Day and ICOM’s International Museum Day are formally held each year on May 18, some institutions shift their celebrations to adjacent dates.
About The Westmoreland Museum of American Art
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, located at 221 N. Main Street in Greensburg, PA, recently completed a transformational renovation and expansion project, hosting a community grand reopening celebration in late October of 2015. A new LEED-certified addition adds over 13,000 square feet to the Museum and features a dynamic cantilevered design along with a stunning view of the City of Greensburg and the Laurel Highlands beyond. The Westmoreland’s permanent collection is comprised of works by major American artists from the 18th century through the present, with a special emphasis on Southwestern Pennsylvania art and artists. The Museum also offers an impressive schedule of temporary exhibitions of American art – both nationally-travelling and those organized in house.
More information is available at thewestmoreland.org.
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