Source: Martha Scott, 785-532-7718, marthas@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Andrew North, 785-532-7718, anorth@k-state.edu

Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

BEACH MUSEUM OF ART TO ENHANCE ARTISTIC EXPERIENCES FOR CHILDREN WITH MORE THAN $20,000 IN GRANTS FROM THE KANSAS ARTS COMMISSION AND TARGET

MANHATTAN -- More than $20,000 in grants from the Kansas Arts Commission and Target will enable Kansas State University's Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art to enhance its programming for children.

The commission recently gave the museum three grants totaling $19,046, including a $6,400 Arts-in-Education grant to support the busing of local students on "Bugging Out" tours being conducted in conjunction with the museum's "Robert J. Lang: Insect Origami" exhibition. Students in kindergarten through second grade will be bused to K-State's Insect Zoo, Manhattan's Sunset Zoo and then to the Beach Museum for the origami exhibit.

A $6,400 early childhood grant from the commission will help support the Beach Museum's Growing up ARTSmart program, a collection of children's art classes that are often tied to ongoing exhibitions. This is the fifth year the Kansas Arts Commission has supported the museum's early childhood and family programs.

"All of our educational programming for children is grant funded, so receiving these grants is very important," said Kathrine Schlageck, senior educator at the Beach Museum of Art. "It allows us to provide arts integrated tours for school children."

The museum also received $6,246 from the Kansas Arts Commission to help cover exhibit expenses and overall operating expenses.

In addition, the museum has received a $1,000 grant from Target to support the busing of local children in grades three through sixth to the museum for the upcoming "Recreating Oz in Comics" exhibition.

"With the tight budget this year, generous funding from the Kansas Arts Commission and Target is especially appreciated," said Lorne Render, director of the Beach Museum of Art.

For more information, contact the Beach Museum of Art at 785-532-7718 or drop by the museum on the southeast corner of the K-State campus at 14th Street and Anderson Avenue. Free visitor parking is available next to the building. Normal museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The museum is closed Mondays.