Long Island, NY – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy today announced that the Hofstra University Museum is set to receive $142,231 in federal funding through the Institute of Museum and Library Services for its hallmark educational program. The program, also known as the “Art Travelers through Time: Literacy and History through Art,” will engage third grade children across five school districts in Nassau County to thousands of artifacts belonging to the museum’s collection and provide knowledge through the experiential study of authentic objects from six continents dating back to 5000 BC. Earlier this year, Senator Gillibrand and Congresswoman McCarthy wrote letters to the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services backing the museum’s application for funding.
“For more than five decades, the Hofstra University Museum has been a vital cultural resource for the region,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This federal investment would strengthen the museum’s cornerstone program aimed to bring arts education and learning to thousands of Long Island children.”
“The Hofstra University Museum has always been a leader in providing innovative programs for our schools in Nassau County – and this grant helps continue that mission,” said Congresswoman McCarthy. “This project will make a real difference in the lives of our children.”
“The Hofstra University Museum is honored to receive IMLS funding for its hallmark educational program Art Travelers through Time: Literacy and History through Art,” said Beth E. Levinthal, Executive Director of the Hofstra University Museum. “This vital program, geared to underserved school districts in Nassau County, is designed as a true learning partnership between the Museum and classroom educators, integrating the study of authentic works of art from the diverse cultures of the world into the learning of core classroom curricula for third graders. IMLS funding will not only help sustain the program, but permits the expansion of the program allowing the Museum to reach more than 1,200 students annually in five districts (Freeport, Hempstead, Roosevelt, Uniondale and Westbury), during the next three years. We thank Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy for their letters of support as well as their firm commitment to the arts and arts education. We also thank our corporate and foundation funders JP Morgan Chase and the Long Island Community Foundation for assuring that the Art Travelers program continues to have a positive educational impact on students in our community.”
Federal funding for the museum will go towards hiring a part-time educator to strengthen the impact of its “Art Travelers Through Time program,” serving underserved third graders and their teachers. The program uses experiential study of authentic objects from the world’s cultures to enrich classroom curricula, building 21st century skills in creative thinking, problem solving, collaboration, visual literacy, and communication. Students receive classroom instruction from museum educators; visit the museum; create and share stories, poems, folk tales, and art; and write letters to pen pals from other Art Travelers schools.
The expansion of the program will provide enhanced resources and additional workshops for teachers. Family outreach will also be improved through bi-lingual communications and museum educator presentations at PTA and Board of Education meetings.