Art Grants Light Up LSU Museum’s New Folk Art Space
The LSU Museum of Art has been awarded a $25,000 Learning and Engagement Grant from the national nonprofit Art Bridges. This funding will support five new wellness‑and‑community projects that dovetail with the museum’s upcoming Folk Art Gallery, opening on June 30.
What the Grant Enables
- Monthly “Art Break” drop‑ins for teens and adults
- Campus pop‑ups bringing art into academic departments
- Hospital outreach creating art moments for patients, caregivers and staff at Baton Rouge General Mid City
- “Tiger Chill Night” offering LSU students a creative escape from studies
- Two educator nights to refresh K‑12 and university teachers
All activities are free, hands‑on, and designed to support emotional well‑being while lowering the cost of art participation. The programs run from September 2026 to April 2027.
Folk Art Gallery Highlights
The gallery will feature a one‑year loan of six iconic self‑taught works from the American Folk Art Museum, made possible through Art Bridges’ Partner Loan Network. Viewers can expect works by:
- Jimmy Lee Sudduth
- Mose Tolliver
- David Butler
- Sam Doyle
- Purvis Young
- Mary T. Smith
Additional pieces include:
- Sculptures by Dr. Charles Smith (transferred from the Ohr‑O’Keefe Museum of Art, Biloxi)
- Long‑term loans from Birmingham collector Doug McCraw (Purvis Young, Richard Dial, Ronald Lockett)
- Works by Mary Proctor, Mr. Imagination, James Harold Jennings
- Ceramic pieces from North Georgia folk potters
These works come from the collections of Wyatt and Becky Collins in New Iberia, Louisiana.
The Bigger Picture
Founded in 2017 by Alice Walton, Art Bridges aims to make American art more accessible across the country. Its loan network allows museums to exchange works so pieces that would otherwise stay in storage can be shown to the public. LSU’s partnership with Art Bridges broadens its reach beyond visitors, offering art‑based wellness experiences in classrooms, hospitals and campus settings.
The museum’s new initiatives illustrate how art can bridge communities, help people heal, and bring stories of Southern self‑taught artists into everyday life.
