Center for Art in Wood rebrands as museum

In January, the Center for Art in Wood in Philadelphia officially rebranded as the Museum for Art in Wood.

The museum has its roots in biannual woodturning symposiums and exhibitions held at the George School in Bucks County, Pa., between 1976 and 1981. For the past 40 years, its leaders have strived to enhance public understanding of contemporary art in wood through exhibitions and other programming.

“The move allows the museum to be further recognized by an international community of artists, scholars, and collectors as a critical resource in studying art, craft, and design in wood. It also reinforces the Museum for Art in Wood’s mission to stimulate and nurture creative engagements surrounding wood, an organic, shapeable, sustainable, and conceptually inspiring material,” Jennifer-Navva Milliken, the museum’s executive director and chief curator, said in a statement.

The museum recently announced a $10 million endowment from the Windgate Foundation, designated to strengthen its future and expand its mission, programs, and plans for growth. The endowment includes a $3.5 million gift from the Arkansas Community Foundation, which provides critical funding for contemporary craft and visual arts education in the United States.

“The endowment is a culmination of our partnership over the past 29 years, and clearly shows our belief in the leadership, values, and mission of the organization,” said Patricia Forgy, executive director of the Windgate Foundation executive director, in a statement. “We are thrilled to congratulate the newly named Museum for Art in Wood on this exciting transformation and encourage others to visit and support this exceptional institution.”

For more, visit museumforartinwood.org.  

This article was originally published in the April 2023 issue.