Art Bridges Cohort Program
The Art Bridges Cohort Program expands access to American art by supporting multiyear, multi-institutional art-sharing partnerships among museums nationwide. The mission of the program is to create self-sustaining ecosystems of art sharing, collaboration, and community engagement across the country.
Video Credit: Installation of "Act on It! Artists, Community, and the Brockman Gallery in Los Angeles" at Lancaster Museum of Art and History as part of Local Access, a series of American art exhibitions created through a multiyear, multi-institutional partnership formed by LACMA as part of the Art Bridges Cohort Program.
Program Goals
- Build and nurture art-sharing partnerships among a given cohort that extends beyond the program
- Dismantle siloed workflows within and between museums
- Eliminate bottlenecks in registration and conservation
- Broaden loan agreements’ climate parameters that restrict art access, especially to underserved areas
- Strengthen knowledge around practices of sustainable and cost-effective art sharing and exhibition building
- Create long-term, reciprocal, community-led engagement opportunities
Cohort Program
How it works:
Each cohort, comprised of a lead museum and cohort members, works together for 4-6 years to share their collections, making art lending, borrowing, and display more efficient and environmentally sustainable.
A lead museum identifies potential cohort members in consultation with Art Bridges. The cohort then applies for "Phase 1 – Research & Development" funding, during which time they learn about each other’s collections, facilities, and the Cohort Program in depth. The lead museum selects 3-5 members after an in-person convening hosted by Art Bridges.
The cohort may apply for "Phase 2 – Small Art Share" funding to participate in the Ki Futures Accessible Loans Program and begin its respective small art shares (3-5 works per partner). To assist the cohort members, the lead museum will hire 2 term positions—a Project Manager and a Collections Care Apprentice—termed to the length of the cohort project. The Apprentice will complete an 8-week, in-person training on conservation and collections care provided by Ki Futures before their time at the lead museum begins.
Lastly, the cohort may apply for "Phase 3 – Large Art Share" funding to complete a large art share (30 objects per partner) or build a traveling exhibition (40-70 works total).
Funding
Art Bridges supports these partnerships through a mix of direct payments and flat-funding awards to offset hard and soft costs. Lead museums and cohort members are eligible to apply for Learning & Engagement funding in Phases 2 and 3 to deepen community engagement efforts.
Phase 1 - Research and Development
Art Bridges will cover the travel and hosting costs of a 2-day, in-person convening for all museums within a cohort.
Phase 2 - Small Art Share
Art Bridges pays directly for:
- Ki Futures Accessible Loans Program for each cohort
- Ki Futures Collections Care Apprenticeship Program
- Direct costs, such as crating, shipping, installation, deinstallation, and insurance for 3-5 works
Awards to lead museum and cohort members:
- Project Manager’s salary
- Collections Care Apprentice’s salary
- Collections Care Apprentice’s housing and travel during training
- $500 per object loaned
- 2 convenings
Phase 3 - Large Art Share
Art Bridges pays directly for:
- Direct object costs, such as crating, shipping, installation and deinstallation
- Contract art handlers
- Installation materials
- Additional security
- Insurance
- Marketing toolkit
- Exhibition design
Awards to lead museum and cohort members:
- Project Manager’s salary
- Collections Care Apprentice’s salary
- $500 per object loaned
- Annual convenings
- In-gallery accessibility items
- Community resource group honoraria
- Sustainable exhibition materials incentive
- Interpretation
Current Partners
If you are currently undertaking an implementation phase of your cohort project, continue executing this already funded work. The new program requirements apply to applicants who are new partners, closed previous cohort projects, and those who have not yet entered an implementation project.
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