Lori Graham
Contributing Writer
The Montgomery Museum of Art and History’s “Art of Happiness” program not only brings awareness of mental health and emotional wellbeing to the region, but also provides a place where individuals can connect with art on a deeper level.
The program, in cooperation with LewisGale Regional Health System, received the 2023 Virginia Innovation Award from the Virginia Association of Museums.
“This is one we’re really happy, really proud about this,” said Montgomery Museum of Art and History Director Casey Jenkins. “It takes museum spaces, resources, and exhibits and pairs that with mental health; raising awareness to emotional health and mental health, and doing so in a way that provides a nontraditional setting for folks to participate in self-help coping strategies for things like anxiety or depression.”
The program series will be held on the first and second Thursday of each month, December through February from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Space is limited so early registration is encouraged.
Shelby Wynn, a registered art therapist and licensed professional counselor will lead the sessions. Session topics include Found Poetry, Mindfulness Clay Sculpting, and Visual Music and Painting.
“I am very excited to be partnering with the Montgomery Museum for the next few months,” Wynn said. “Art is such an integral part of mental health – be it fine art, movement, or music – and it is inspiring to have an organization such as the museum find it important to bridge the gap in mental health awareness. I am honored to be a part of something so innovative.”
For more information on this program series and to register, visit https://montgomerymuseum.org/arttherapy.
Jenkins also presented information on the facility’s current economic status, upcoming events and capital projects during the Nov. 27 Montgomery County Board of Supervisors’ meeting.
A revised mission statement and a vision for the future of the museum as a premier cultural center is a highlight for the organization.
Several art exhibits, receptions, and major community special events have brought visitors to the region as well as involving residents in the museum’s offerings. At the time of the presentation, there have been 4600 visitors this year, compared to 4300 visitors in 2022, Jenkins said.
“That was our first year in the new building,” Jenkins said. “That was a huge jump from 2021, when we made the transition from our old site at Peppers Street to the new building, going from 1325 to 4300 [square feet].”
The operating budget has seen continuous growth and Jenkins said the museum is hoping to see $300,000 in their budget in 2024.
Some events to look forward to in the coming year for the museum were also shared at the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors’ meeting.
The ArtsNRV Market will be happening on June 7 and 8 and brings juried artists and artisans from around the region. Heritage Day 2024 is set for the fourth Saturday in August, giving visitors and residents an opportunity to see and experience culture from the region. Cultural Crossroads will happen in Fall 2024 for the third year at the Moss Arts Center in Blacksburg, Virginia, and is a culmination of various heritage music from African American, European, and Native American beginnings that culminated in lending to Appalachian Bluegrass sounds.
Most exciting is the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts visit to the New River Valley.
“The state-of-the-art institution in Richmond will be traveling with its ginormous semi-truck, it’ll park in our back parking, so it’ll be quite a spectacle,” Jenkins said.
Additionally, the Montgomery County Junior Appalachian Musicians program will be returning through the efforts of the Museum. School-age children from around the County will be taught four different instruments. This was a previous program that was halted by the pandemic in 2020.
It has been over a year and a half since fundraising began for the museum, according to Jenkins. A cash amount of 1.1 million has been raised to date. In Phase 2, raising the money for an elevator and the HVAC system is now a priority.
“It’s important to know that our collection, you know, that represents all of Montgomery County history is really the heartbeat of telling our story here for Montgomery County; Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Virginia Tech,” Jenkins said. “If we can’t properly care for those artifacts, then we can’t properly tell the stories and the heritage that Montgomery County has to offer, which as we know is quite a lot.”
Jenkins also shared that there are over 7,000 artifacts in their collection that need to be cared for.
Currently, the museum has raised $225,000, but it is a very costly process to replace the HVAC system.
Montgomery County will celebrate their 250-year anniversary in 2026. With more than half of money raised for the capital projects already, a funding request was made from the County for $100,000. Additional funds will be also requested from local town Councils in Blacksburg and Christiansburg.
In addition, Jenkins said that the Virginia Association of Museums will conduct their conference in 2025 in Montgomery County, bringing in large crowds to the area.
Supervisors spoke in support of finding a one-time fund opportunity to help in the preservation of the artifacts while looking to the future of the community.
Supervisor Steve Fijalkowski expressed that he would like to see the Towns also contribute to the preservation of history in the museum but would also be in support of a one-time allocation of monies to the museum’s capital projects as laid out in the presentation.
