The Art of Giving

The Georgia Museum of Art relies on private donations from individuals, corporations and foundations to carry out its mission of collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting significant works of art. There are many different ways to give to the museum either through cash contributions or works of art. Our staff is here to help you make the most of your gift. To find out how you can support the museum, call Caroline Maddox, director of development, at 706.542.3928.

If you would like to make a gift online, click here to visit the university’s secure site. Choose Georgia Museum of Art as your gift designation and follow the instructions provided.

If you would prefer to make a contribution by check, please make check payable to University of Georgia Foundation/Georgia Museum of Art and send to 

Caroline Maddox
Director of Development
Georgia Museum of Art
90 Carlton Street
Athens, GA 30602-1719

To learn about other ways of giving visit the UGA Gift and Estate Planning website.

Director’s Circle

Members of the Director’s Circle donate at least $1000 to the support of the museum. With this donation, members receive invitations to Director’s Circle events, which include private tours of special exhibitions with curator and director as well as other reserved events, special travel opportunities and special recognition on the donor plaque in the main lobby.

Special Programs

If you would like to provide support for any of the following special programs, contact the development department at 706.542.1461.

Art Adventures

The Georgia Museum of Art’s summer outreach program, Art Adventures, reaches children and senior groups in the Athens area and can take place at the museum or at their location. Participants view a temporary exhibition or a presentation of an exhibition during a one-hour interactive program that includes a studio workshop. Currently Art Adventures is sponsored by the Albert Christ-Janer Memorial Fund and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art.

Senior Outreach Program

Diane Barret, Ed.D., project director, works with museum staff, instructor Toni Carlucci, and student volunteers to serve senior citizen centers and nursing homes in Athens-Clarke, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Elbert and Green counties. These programs comprise three components: an introductory slide presentation, a museum visit and a hands-on activity. The Senior Citizens Outreach of the Georgia Museum of Art is sponsored by a grant from the Citigroup Foundation through the Local Contributions Program of Smith Barney of Athens. Generous support is also provided by Berkeley and Dan Minor.

Education

The outreach services provided by the department of education help fulfill the museum’s mission as Georgia’s official state art museum. The department of education organizes lectures, symposia, film series and workshops throughout the year in conjunction with exhibitions. In addition, a biennial international conference on early Italian art draws scholars from around the country and the world, providing a forum for new research and discoveries. Funds provided for education ensure the highest quality programming will continue.

Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art

The Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art provide much needed operating support to enhance the daily activities at the museum. To learn more about the organization, visit their webpage.

Henry D. Green Center for the Study of the Decorative Arts

Funds will be used to support publications, symposia, programs, acquisitions, research and the Decorative Arts Library.

Publications

Approximately five books are published by the Georgia Museum of Art each year. The museum benefits from support from individuals and organizations for the publication of exhibition catalogues, brochures and the newsletter.

Memorial and Honorary Gifts

If you would like to make a gift to the museum in memory or honor or an individual or organization, contact the development department at 706.542.1461.

Endowments

Curatorial Endowments

Permanent support is critical to enhance the effectiveness of the museum’s professional curatorial staff. Areas of expertise include American art, decorative arts and education.

Acquisition Endowments

Named acquisitions funds and endowments may be designated to a specific period or type of art. These funds provide flexibility that will enable the museum to selectively enhance its collection as objects become available.

Contact the development department if you are interested in creating an endowment for the museum.

Estate Planning

If you would like to include the Georgia Museum of Art in your estate plans, contact the development department at 706.542.1461.

Donate Works of Art

The Georgia Museum of Art builds its permanent collection through gifts, bequests and occasionally purchases. Those interested in offering an object to the museum as a gift or those interested in donating funds to support the purchase of an object for the permanent collection should contact the museum’s director or one of the curators. The director or curator will then guide you through the donation process.

If an object is deemed appropriate to the mission of the museum, it is added to the permanent collection through the accessioning process. At the Georgia Museum of Art, accessioning begins with the formal acceptance of an object by the collections committee, which meets monthly to review all proposed gifts, bequests and purchases. If a proposed donation is accepted by the committee, title to the object is then transferred to the museum by a Deed of Gift, which is signed by both the donor and the museum director. At that time, a credit line is established for the object. The museum will give appropriate credit to a donor whenever the donated object is publicly displayed, cited in publications or reproduced in any way.