Mason-Scharfenstein Museum of Art

The Mason-Scharfenstein Museum of Art at Piedmont University will strengthen its engagement with remote and rural populations in Northeast Georgia by implementing a three-year initiative focused on co-creation and community participation. Partnering with the university’s College of Education, Georgia Council for the Arts, Mountain Laurel Quilters Guild, and regional schools and homeschool cooperatives, the museum will present weekend hands-on programs for local audiences and a series of visiting artist exhibits focusing on southern Appalachia. An Arts and Crafts Council will advise museum staff, co-develop interpretive materials, and recruit 25 volunteers. The museum will develop new programs for regional schools, provide honoraria for student teachers and exhibiting artists, and hire a part-time coordinator to manage logistics. A faculty member will evaluate activities annually, and the findings will be used as a management tool to advance both university and museum strategic plans.