Dallas Museums Receive Diversity Grants
Dallas was a big winner when the prestigious Institute of Museum and Library Services announced $1.99 million in grants for a new initiative of its “Museums for America” program.
The Perot Museum of Nature and Science and the Crow Collection of Asian Art each received grants of $25,000 for diversity and inclusion training so that each organization might better serve the needs of North Texas.
Dallas was one of only two cities to receive two of the coveted training and professional-development grants.
“The Institute of Museum and Library Services grants are extremely competitive, so it’s a tremendous honor that two Dallas institutions – the Crow Collection of Asian Art and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science – received these awards,” said Amy Lewis Hofland, executive director of the Crow Collection of Asian Art. “The training and professional development programs will not only help both museums become more compassionate and responsive to our audiences, but we also hope to share our experiences and learnings with other Dallas museums.”
The Crow Collection of Asian Art grant will address issues of difference, inclusion, and equity by embarking on a multifaceted project involving professional development, programmatic testing and partnership, and the initiation of changes to make its physical space more inclusive towards all communities.
As part of the project, the museum will launch an exploratory initiative that seeks to connect families of different ethnic backgrounds through weekend sessions at the museum to build community beyond each family’s immediate neighborhood.
Perot Museum of Nature and Science will use the grant to develop training for its staff and volunteers to support the Museum’s continued transition to a bilingual (English and Spanish), cross-cultural institution.
“As a result of this grant, the Perot Museum’s evaluation team recently conducted a focus group with members of the DFW Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. It was a resounding success, creating pathways for collaboration and reciprocity,” said Linda Abraham-Silver, the Eugene McDermott Chief Executive. “This is only the beginning, and we are so grateful that IMLS has given the Perot Museum and the Crow Collection an opportunity to advance our community engagement and outreach efforts in North Texas.”
