the art of giving FUND FOR THE FUTURE
This January, the Georgia Museum of Art was set to host its 17th biennial gala, Elegant Salute.
s INCE M. SMITH “SMITTY” GRIFFITH CREATED THAT EVENT, it has served as our major fundrais- er, with a year (or more) of robust fundraising and planning by dozens of faithful volunteers. The presence and patronage of those who support, attend and volunteer for the event are testaments to the museum’s mission of teaching, research and service that mirrors the University of Georgia’s. For decades, the proceeds from the evening have provided vital funding to support the museum’s programs, but the global pandemic that hit Georgia in March 2020 obvious- ly meant that it couldn’t go ahead as planned. Instead, museum staff focused on how to reallocate funds to acquire hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, webinar-enabled Zoom capabilities, urgent technological upgrades, supplies for Art at Home kits and more so that we could safely reopen to the public while remaining committed to our mission. Arts organizations have and will continue to struggle. Our museum is among them, despite the fact that we are fortunate to benefit from the support of the citizens of the state of Georgia, and its flagship university, as the offi- cial state museum of art. For years, we have discussed the
possibility of an endowment designed specifically to help support the everyday operations of the museum and its programs. The most recent budget reduction we are navigating, which is likely not to be the last, makes this conversation more relevant than ever in order to pre- serve our standing as one of the most important univer- sity museums in the country. We have and will always need private support for exhi- bitions, catalogues, outreach, year-round educational programs and acquisitions to complement our per- manent collection. But now, more than ever, we need a source of funding for postage, telephones, printing and other less exciting but no less vital necessities that enable us to continue to provide free inspiration to all. So, this year, instead of a gala and the fundraising effort typically associated with the evening, we ask you to join us in a very different, but no less urgent, legacy effort. In two years, the museum will celebrate its 75th anni- versary or “diamond” anniversary, a fitting one given that diamonds can withstand tremendous pressure.
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