Montgomery, AL, October 17, 2023 – The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) has been awarded $280,000 by the Art Bridges Foundation, the national arts nonprofit founded by philanthropist Alice Walton, as part of their “Access for All” initiative. These funds will enable the MMFA to offer free programs through December 2026. The new initiative aims to increase access to museums across the country and foster engagement with local communities by covering the costs of programming, outreach, and community partnerships that together, will eliminate many common barriers to access.
 

The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts will use the funds to strengthen and deepen our commitment to the River Region by offering no-cost programs, camps, tours, and classes that are:

• Interdisciplinary, culturally responsive, and relevant to community interest;
• Led by local artists, creatives, and teachers;
• Accessible to those with limited transportation options through collaborations with local city and community groups.
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Art-making at Juneteenth 2023

“Everyone, no matter where they live, deserves access to art. That’s why we started Art Bridges: to support museums in deepening their connections with local communities, and to pave the way for new audiences to experience the creativity and joy that comes with seeing art,” said Alice Walton, founder and board chair of Art Bridges. “Access for All is our biggest and most ambitious effort to date, dedicating $40 million toward bridging gaps between museums of all sizes and their communities in order to foster meaningful connections and expand arts access in every region, from Peoria to Puerto Rico.”

 
“The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts is thrilled to be a part of Art Bridges’ Access for All initiative to support our mission of making exhibitions and programs more accessible,” said Emily Stuart Thomas, Head of Learning and Programs at the MMFA. “We’re excited to see how these funds will help drive new partnerships and unique program offerings as we continue to welcome back returning visitors and engage with new audiences.”

MORE ABOUT “ACCESS FOR ALL”

Access for All represents a sweeping effort to get people back to museums after COVID-19 brought declines in revenue, staffing, and attendance. With many museums seeing just 71 percent of their pre- pandemic attendance, the new initiative will aim to restore pre-pandemic levels—and open opportunities for all people to enjoy American art by reducing barriers to access and strengthening community relationships.
 
In total, “Access for All” will provide $40 million in funding to 64 museums nationwide, spanning 36 states and Puerto Rico. Among the other partners are the Howard University Gallery of Arts (Washington, D.C.); Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico (San Juan, PR); Plains Art Museum (Fargo, ND); Portland Museum of Art (Portland, ME); San Diego Museum of Art (San Diego, CA); Whitney Museum of American Art (New York, NY); Wichita Art Museum (Wichita, KS); and Yellowstone Art Museum (Billings, MT). The full list of participating museums can be found on the Art Bridges website.



 

RELATED PROGRAMS

The MMFA offers year-round programming designed for all ages—from studio classes to wellness practices. For the most up-to-date list of events, please visit mmfa.org/calendar.
 

Flimp Festival 2024

Saturday, April 13, 2024
Spend a whimsical and wonderful Saturday in the John and Joyce Caddell Sculpture Garden at the Museum’s annual Flimp Festival, a celebration of imagination, humor, and creativity. Designed for families and young children, Flimp is free to attend and features art-making activities, artist demonstrations, community partners, live music, and food vendors.
 

Juneteenth 2024

Date to be announced
Celebrate African American culture and creativity at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. Participate in art-making activities inspired by artists in the MMFA's permanent collection, create alongside local artists in a community mural, and enjoy live music. This free program is presented in collaboration with the City of Montgomery and its Department of Cultural Affairs.
 

Camps

Intergenerational (Family) Camps

Tuesday, December 19–Thursday, December 21, 2023

Monday, March 25–Friday, March 29, 2024
Tuesday, July 2–Wednesday, July 3, 2024
 

Junior Summer Camps, 5 to 8 years old

Monday, June 3–Thursday, June 6, 2024: Junior Camp Monday, July 8–Thursday, July 11, 2024: Junior Camp
 

Youth Summer Camps, 9–12 years old

Monday, June 3–Thursday, June 6, 2024: Youth Camp Monday, July 8–Thursday, July 11, 2024: Youth Camp
 

Teen Summer Camps, 13–18 years old

Monday, June 24–Thursday, June 27, 2024: Teen Camp Monday, July 22–Thursday, July 25, 2024: Teen Camp
 

Fall Festival 2024

Saturday, September 21, 2024
Sunday, September 22, 2024
Fall Festival celebrates Montgomery's vibrant creative culture, featuring both local and regional artists from all backgrounds. This free event features an art market with 20-30 vendors, live music, art demos, artmaking activities, food trucks, and tastings with local brewers. The art market is an integral part of Fall Festival; booths feature fine arts and crafts for sale made locally in the River Region.

ABOUT ART BRIDGES FOUNDATION

Art Bridges Foundation is the vision of philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton. The mission of Art Bridges is to expand access to American art in all regions across the United States. Since 2017, Art Bridges has been creating and supporting programs that bring outstanding works of American art out of storage and into communities. Art Bridges partners with a growing network of over 220 museums of all sizes and locations on nearly 700 projects across the nation, impacting over 4.1 million people, to provide financial and strategic support for exhibition development, loans from the Art Bridges Collection, and programs designed to educate, inspire, and deepen engagement with local audiences. The Art Bridges Collection represents an expanding vision of American art from the 19th century to present day and encompasses multiple media and voices. For more information, visit artbridgesfoundation.org.


ABOUT THE MMFA
The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts was founded in 1930 by a group of local artists as a place for both exhibiting art and space for art education. The original intentions of our founders—to exhibit and teach—continue to inspire and inform every action and activity here at the Museum which, since 1988, has shared the 277-acre Blount Cultural Park with our partners across the lake at the celebrated Alabama Shakespeare Festival.
 
Today’s MMFA visitors stroll through art-studded grounds and permanent collection galleries. They see compelling changing exhibitions and learn about art by playing in our interactive gallery, ArtWorks,