Eleventh International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

How can an art museum serve as a center of engagement for university and high school student-athletes and give them a venue to address misconceptions of identity and race? For six years, Art of the Athlete has served as a comprehensive museum education program and annual exhibition that not only introduces students, the majority who are students of color, to museums as agents of change and active dialogue, but also cultivates first-time visitors to become comfortable with visiting museums. It recently served as an intervention for gang-affiliated high school athletes and provide a forum to process their journeys. This museum program was designed to build new audiences for the museum and provide creative learning opportunities for students who may be unfamiliar with the meaningful opportunities museums can provide. It intersects with the museums access programs and forges connections between student-athletes and children with disabilities through accessible museum studio programs. This program integrates service, study-abroad, self-reflection, and positions the museum as a catalyst. Participants, many who have had little or no exposure to art, learn how museums are vibrant places to discover how exhibitions and works of art are starting points for dialogues and conversations. The authors will illustrate the program components, evaluation methods, challenges, and disseminate how a program such as AofA makes an impact on the development of university student athletes though museum visual arts experiences.