Newport Art Museum And Art Association

THE NEWPORT ART MUSEUM'S MISSION IS TO SHARE A DIVERSITY OF ART AND EXPERIENCES THAT SPARK REFLECTION, INSPIRATION, DISCOVERY, AND CONNECTION WITHIN OUR NEWPORT COMMUNITY AND BEYOND.

EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE "HAIR STORIES," WHICH WAS ON VIEW FROM JULY 17 - OCTOBER 31, 2021. THIS GROUP SHOW BROUGHT TOGETHER A DIVERSE GROUP OF ARTISTS WHOSE WORK FOCUSED ON HAIR OR USES HAIR AS A MEDIUM. FROM HAIR JEWELRY AND LOCKETS THAT FETISHIZE HAIR TO PHOTOGRAPHS, SCULPTURES, AND VIDEO WORKS THAT CELEBRATE HAIR, THIS SHOW EXAMINED THE WAYS IN WHICH HAIR FUNCTIONS AS A COMPLEX SET OF CODES AND AS THE LOADED RAW MATERIAL FOR ARTISTIC EXPRESSION. THEMES INCLUDE HISTORY, NARRATIVE, LOSS AND MOURNING, AND IDENTITY (CULTURAL, RACIAL, ETHNIC, GENDER, AND SEXUAL IDENTITY). IN- GALLERY AND ONLINE LEARNING RESOURCES WERE CREATED FOR THIS EXHIBITION. ANOTHER NOTEWORTHY EXHIBITION WAS DONNA FERRATO: SELECTIONS FROM "LIVING WITH THE ENEMY," ON VIEW FROM FEBRUARY 6 - JUNE 6, 2021. IN 1991, PHOTOJOURNALIST FERRATO PUBLISHED MANY OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS FEATURED IN LIVING WITH THE ENEMY. FERRATO'S PHOTOS HAVE IGNITED DECADES OF ADVOCACY WORK FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS THAT HAVE HELPED TO ATTRACT FUNDING FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS NATIONWIDE AND EDUCATED PEOPLE ON THE WARNING SIGNS OF ABUSE, AS WELL AS THE OBSTACLES SURVIVORS FACE WHEN TRYING TO LEAVE THEIR ABUSERS.

THE NEWPORT ART MUSEUM OFFERS YEAR-ROUND ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMMING FOR ALL AGES AND EXPERIENCE LEVELS AT ITS MUSEUM SCHOOL. ADDITIONALLY, THE MUSEUM'S TEACHING ARTISTS PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES OFF CAMPUS AT A VARIETY OF PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS. DUE TO CONTINUED COVID-RELATED RESTRICTIONS IN 2021, SOME OF THE VENUES DID NOT PARTICIPATE, SUCH AS SENIOR LIVING FACILITIES AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS. HOWEVER, OUR TEACHERS CONTINUED THE ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM AT LIFESPAN HOSPITAL'S BRADLEY SCHOOLS, WHICH PROVIDE A ROBUST EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WHOSE PSYCHIATRIC AND BEHAVIORAL NEEDS CANNOT BE MET IN A PUBLIC-SCHOOL SETTING. OUR ARTS INSTRUCTORS LEARNED THE BRADLEY SCHOOLS' VIRTUAL PLATFORM AND CONDUCTED THE ART CLASSES ONLINE UNTIL THE RETURN OF IN-CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION WAS APPROVED. THE MEDICAL STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS AT THE BRADLEY SCHOOLS CONSIDER OUR MUSEUM'S ARTS INSTRUCTION A VITAL AND NECESSARY ADDITION TO THEIR CURRICULUM.

NEWPORT ART MUSEUM HAS ENRICHED THE COMMUNITY, STATE AND REGION WITH VIBRANT AND DIVERSE ARTS PROGRAMMING FOR 110 YEARS. IN ADDITION TO EXHIBITIONS FEATURING LOCAL ARTISTS, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO EXHIBIT INTERNATIONALLY, IN 2021, THE MUSEUM OFFERED A WIDE ARRAY OF PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, WHICH INCLUDED ARTISTS' TALKS, SCHOLARLY LECTURES, DISCUSSIONS, FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS, STORYTELLING, DOCENT-LED TOURS, A MUSEUM READS BOOK GROUP, AND A VARIETY OF OFFERINGS WITH PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING LIFESPAN HOSPITALS BRADLEY SCHOOLS, NEWPORT COMMUNITY SCHOOL, THE PUBLIC'S RADIO, RHODE ISLAND BLACK STORYTELLERS, THE WOMEN'S RESOURCE CENTER, AND MANY OTHERS. THE MUSEUM SCHOOL CONTINUES TO OFFER STUDIO ART CLASSES IN MULTIPLE MEDIUMS TO INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES AND EXPERIENCE LEVELS.