FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Media Contact:
Sarah Story
504‐539‐9609
pr@ogdenmuseum.org

 

NEW ORLEANS - April 20, 2015

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art has been chosen for recognition as a 2015 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award (NAHYP) Finalist for the museum's work in providing "rich arts and humanities learning opportunities to young people."

The National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award is the Nation's highest honor for out-of-school arts and humanities programs that celebrate the creativity of America's young people, particularly those from underserved communities. This award recognizes and supports excellence in programs that open new pathways to learning, self-discovery, and achievement.

The National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award is a signature initiative of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library ServicesTM to showcase cultural excellence and enhance the availability of out-of-school arts and humanities programs to children and young people.

The awards committee reviewed 335 nominations from 50 states, including the District of Columbia, and selected 50 finalists representing the top arts and humanities based programs from across the country. A national jury of arts and humanities field experts will choose 12 winners, to be announced at the end of June.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM - Since 2007, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art's Teen Docent Program has been an integral part of the museum's summer programming.

his program trains New Orleans public high-school students to lead tours of the Ogden Museum, serve as counselors for Museum summer camps, and participate in an outreach program that brings art to children and adults who are unable to visit the Museum. Past programs have brought original puppet shows inspired by artwork in the Museum's collection to local summer camps, New Orleans Public Library story hours, and to patients at Children's Hospital. The program runs June 8 to July 31, 2015.

Directed by Ogden Museum Education Coordinator Ellen Balkin, the program not only cultivates the Teen Docents' interest in the arts and museum studies, but also empowers them to become community leaders.

"We're thrilled to receive this honor and look forward to an exciting summer working with eight new Teen Docents," says Balkin.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the MaggieGeorge Foundation.

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Located in the vibrant Warehouse Arts District of downtown New Orleans, Louisiana, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art holds the largest collection of Southern art and is recognized for its original exhibitions, public events, and educational programs which examine the development of visual art alongside Southern traditions of music, literature, and culinary heritage to provide a comprehensive story of the South. Established in 1999 and in Stephen Goldring Hall since 2003, the Museum welcomes over 50,000 visitors annually, and attracts diverse audiences through its broad range of programming including exhibitions, lectures, film screenings, and concerts which are all part of its mission to broaden the knowledge, understanding, interpretation, and appreciation of the visual arts and culture of the American South.

The Ogden Museum is open Wednesday through Monday from 10AM-5PM and also on Thursdays from 6-8PM for Ogden After Hours. Admission is free to Museum Members and $10 for adults, $8 to seniors 65 and older, $5 for children ages 5-17 and free for children under 5. The Ogden Museum is free to Louisiana Residents on Thursdays from 10AM-5PM courtesy of The Helis Foundation.The Museum is closed Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and the day following, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

The Museum is located at 925 Camp Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130. For more information visit ogdenmuseum.org or call 504-539-9650.