The Lehigh University Art Galleries was selected on Oct. 2 for their social exhibitions to participate in a national study conducted by the American Alliance of Museums for their social exhibitions.
Museum Social Impact in Practice is a three-year study that aims to provide technical assistance to various museums nationwide to measure their social impact.
According to The American Alliance of Museums website, “social impact” refers to the meaningful ways that museums contribute to their communities by fostering cultural understanding, emphasizing civic engagement and enhancing well-being.
After a competitive application process that worked to ensure diversity in the selected sample, LUAG was chosen to be one of 40 museums participating in the study. It’s one of five academic museums within that 40.
The American Alliance of Museums website states the end goals of Museum Social Impact in Practice are to help museums find new ways to leverage data about their social impact and to build stronger relationships with their communities.
According to LUAG’s website, the gallery has amassed a collection of over 20,000 works of art from around the world since its establishment in 1926. Beyond the gallery itself, there are 56 sculptures from LUAG across Lehigh’s campus and an outdoor exhibit that spans the length of the South Bethlehem Greenway.
Stacie Brennan, the curator of education at LUAG, was selected to represent the university in the Museum Social Impact in Practice cohort.
Brennan said her role at LUAG is to “create educational and creative experiences for people of all ages to connect with the collection at the museum.”
She said she’ll be participating in monthly conversations with the cohort to gather data to send back to the research study.
Brennan said by engaging with Museum Social Impact in Practice, she hopes to deepen the impact of LUAG, broaden access to art and raise awareness about the benefits museums offer.
She said she also hopes to work with her team to create a museum experience that reaches “beyond its walls” and enriches the surrounding community for years to come.
“I don’t know if we filled a particular niche that they were looking for in terms of size and scope of our programs,” Brennan said. “I think part of it is that we have been really paying close attention to what kind of programs we are offering and trying to find ways to measure that impact.”
Kiera Wilhelm, the marketing and development specialist for LUAG, said the gallery doesn’t have opportunities like this often.
A screen video of the the life and work of artist Nellie Mae Rowe is pictured in the Lehigh University Art Gallery on Nov. 13. This video explores her pursuit and perseverance in art and life. (Ivy Chen/ B&W Staff)
“We’re so honored and grateful to have been selected to join an initiative that will meaningfully help LUAG deepen the impact of our work in the community,” Wilhelm said.
According to The American Alliance of Museums website, the study is built on the foundation of the Measurement of Museum Social Impact project, an eight-year project that concluded in 2023. The project created a social impact measurement toolkit for museums to measure their community impact.
Museum Social Impact in Practice also seeks to refine the results of that project by modifying the toolkit and further assisting museums with resources to measure their social impact and make changes, according to the website.
Collett Akins, ‘27, is a curatorial intern at LUAG and said the museum is particularly dedicated to improving its educational influence for students and community members.
Akins said he’s already found that LUAG has worked hard to achieve a lasting impact on those who engage with its exhibitions.
“The experience of the exhibition doesn’t end when you leave the art gallery,” he said. “It’s something that you leave and continue to think about.”
Currently, the “Change Makers!” exhibition is running at the gallery. According to the gallery’s website, the exhibit features student-curated interviews with local innovators in the Lehigh Valley.
“We want to better ensure that folks are aware of what’s happening at the museum and that they are warmly invited to participate,” Wilhelm said. “Because you can only have an impact if you’re actually reaching people.”
Brennan said the data from Museum Social Impact in Practice will help inform the gallery and guide staff on how to prioritize programming to increase prospective attendee engagement and gain a better understanding of how museums impact communities across the country.
“Art is a great entry point to bring people together and also a great opportunity to cultivate conversations about how we can find solutions to bigger problems that we’re facing in the world,” Brennan said.
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