The University Art Museum at New Mexico State University has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation. This grant will be instrumental in supporting the museum's general operations over the next three years.

"This new Mellon funding will support the UAM's operations as it implements major initiatives, including exhibitions, residencies and programs, as well as bolster the long-range goals set forth in our recently completed 2024-2027 Strategic Plan," said Marisa Sage, Director of the University Art Museum. "Over the next three years, the UAM will deepen engagement, impact, and quality of artwork by increasing the time, energy and research dedicated to each project."

As the largest supporter of the arts and humanities in the nation, the Mellon Foundation has upheld its core belief that the humanities and arts are fundamental to human understanding since 1969. In 2022, the UAM was privileged to be among the select recipients of a competitive grant from the Mellon Foundation's Art Museum Futures Fund.

NMSU's Art Museum produces artist driven cutting edge contemporary projects and curates refreshing exhibits from its permanent art collection, which boasts more than 4,000 objects. Situated just 50 miles from the international border, the UAM serves as a cultural nexus for art and artists in the region.

"The UAM stands as the sole contemporary art museum in southern New Mexico, playing a crucial role in bridging connections across both tangible and perceived boundaries" Sage said.

Since 2022, the Mellon Foundation funds have facilitated the creation and appointment of a Collections Curator, currently held by Courtney Uldrich. Uldrich and her team have undertaken a monumental project to digitize NMSU's collection of more than 2,100 Mexican retablos.

Thanks to the Mellon Foundation's support, not only are the retablos being digitized comprehensively for the first time, but a curated selection is also being featured in the UAM's inaugural traveling exhibition, "Contemporary Ex-Votos: Devotion Beyond Medium," slated to be showcased on Friday, April 19 at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

"With renewed support from the Mellon Foundation, the UAM will continue to thrive at the intersection of art, research and social practice, enriching the lives of students, faculty and our binational communities through sustained artist-led projects."

The upcoming seasons in the UAM will feature guest artists including El Paso-born Carlos Rosales-Silva, Albuquerque's Sheri Cider, mixed media ceramicist Jennifer Ling Datchuk and New York-based artist Carolyn Salas. Salas's exploration of feminism, death, and motherhood in her work "Night Vision" will be complemented by multiple professional practice classes currently being taught during this semester in the Department of Art. Salas' artist lecture will also happen in later in the spring in the UAM.

Stay updated on upcoming exhibitions and programs by visiting http://uam.nmsu.edu /. The UAM welcomes visitors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and is located at 1308 E. University Ave.

The full article can be seen at https://newsroom.nmsu.edu/news/nmsu-art-museum-awarded--300-000-mellon-foundation-grant/s/27e4a1fe-4b3c-4a9a-afea-3bc3814fd9fd