Southern Utah Museum of Art Recognized for Excellence
Published: June 13, 2024 | Author: Kol Gibson | Read Time: 3 minutes
The Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) has passed the American Alliance of Museums’ (AAM) Core Documents Verification, an important milestone in SUMA’s ongoing efforts to demonstrate excellence and meet standards and best practices.
SUMA, located on the campus of Southern Utah University, features the artwork of regional artists, faculty and student artists from the SUU Department of Filmmaking, Art, & Design, as well as emerging and distinguished artists from around the world.
The museum is now one of only four other museums in the state of Utah to have the Core Documents Verification. Earning Core Documents Verification means the national professional organization for the museum industry has verified–through a thorough expert review–that the museum has an educational mission, and ethics, planning, emergency, and collections stewardship policies in place that reflect practices of professional museums. These elements were evaluated because they are deemed essential for every institution that identifies itself as a professional member of the museum field.
The AAM’s Core Documents Verification is the fourth step in a five-step process toward national accreditation, a major goal for SUMA since its doors opened in 2016. National Accreditation is a very involved process that takes years of preparation.
“In our 2019-2024 strategic plan, we wanted to get as close as possible to the final application process,” explains the museum’s executive director, Jessica Kinsey. “With this verification completed, we are now ready to move forward as soon as resources allow.”
The accreditation process for AAM is centered on self-study and peer review and takes 8-16 months to complete. Gaining accreditation will boost SUMA’s credibility and worth in the eyes of funders, policymakers, insurers, the community, and other institutions. It serves as an influential tool for driving change and aids in arranging loans between museums.
“We hope that our stakeholders see that SUMA takes our core documents and best practices in the field very seriously,” says Kinsey. “This is critical as we continue to maintain public trust.”
The Southern Utah Museum of Art is free and open to everyone, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information about current and upcoming exhibitions, please visit www.suu.edu/suma.
About the College of Performing and Visual Arts
The College of Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA) at Southern Utah University comprises 41 academic programs including liberal arts (BA/BS) and professional (BFA, BM, BMEd) degrees in art, design, dance, filmmaking, music, and theatre. It includes graduate programs in the fields of arts administration (MFA, MA), music education (MME), and music technology (MM). More than 60 full-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 900 majors in the College. CPVA presents over 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year which are complemented by the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) and Shakespeare Studies at SUU, and is affiliated with the Tony award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival (USF). Southern Utah University is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) making SUU the first public university in the state of Utah to be accredited by all four associations. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, visit www.suu.edu/pva.
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Contact Information:
SUU Public Relations
435-586-5400