Mrs. Laura Bush to Present Awards at January 14 White House Ceremony

Washington, D.C. – The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) announced today that it will receive a prestigious National Medal for Museum and Library Services, an annual prize awarded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to museums and libraries in recognition of “long-term commitment to public service through innovative programs and community partnerships.” The award carries a prize of $10,000. The Medal will be presented by Mrs. Laura Bush at a White House ceremony on Monday, January 14, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. The awards are conferred annually by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in coordination with the White House.

“We are thrilled that the IMLS has recognized the National Museum of Women in the Arts for the quality of our exhibitions and public programs and our work in the community. The timing of the award is particularly auspicious as we are celebrating our 20th anniversary this year, and this award is a wonderful affirmation that what we are doing really makes a difference,” said Mrs. Wilhelmina Cole Holladay, NMWA founder and chair of the board of trustees.

In its twenty years, the Women’s Museum has presented more than 200 exhibitions and thousands of community-based programs all dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women in the visual, performing, and literary arts.

Founded in 1981 and opened in 1987, NMWA remains the only museum in the world dedicated solely to celebrating women in the arts. Its permanent collection contains some 3,500 works by more than 800 artists, ranging from the 16th century to the present day. The museum conducts programs for diverse audiences and maintains a Library and Research Center. NMWA is located at 1250 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C., in a landmark historic building near the White House.

In 2007, NMWA presented two landmark exhibitions, Italian Women Artists from Renaissance to Baroque and WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution, that range respectively from the 16th century and the beginning of women artists in the Western tradition, to the 20th-century movement that has transformed the artistic, social, sexual, and political roles of women worldwide.

This year the museum also launched Clara: Database of Women Artists, a unique interactive database containing authoritative information on 18,000 women visual artists of all time periods and nationalities.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas.

Also receiving National Medals are the Birmingham [AL] Civil Rights Institute, Chicago Zoological Society, Georgetown County [SC] Library, Kim Yerton Memorial Library [Hoopa, CA], Memphis Public Library, The Newberry Library [Chicago, IL], Ocean County Library [Toms River, NJ], Oregon Museum of Science and Industry [Portland, OR], and the Vermont Historical Society [Barre, VT].

NOTE to PRESS:
9:40 a.m. MRS. BUSH delivers remarks at the National Medals for Museum and Library Service Ceremony.

East Room, The White House
Washington, DC

OPEN PRESS

Pre-set for electronic media is 7:15 am
All media will be escorted from the West Wing driveway to East Room at 9:00 am

Throw: 35 feet
Lighting: TV quality
Multbox

* * Members of the media interested in attending the event who do not have a White House Press Credential must fax his or her name (as it appears on his or her driver's license), Social Security number and date of birth on company letterhead to (202) 456-1523 no later than 6:00 pm on Friday, January 11, 2008. For additional credentialing or logistical questions, please call Mrs. Bush’s Press Office at (202) 456-6313.

NMWA at 20
The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA), founded in 1981 and opened in April 1987, is the only museum dedicated solely to celebrating the achievements of women in the visual, performing, and literary arts. The museum contains works by more than 900 artists in its permanent collection, maintains a Library and Research Center, and conducts multidisciplinary programs for diverse audiences. In the past 20 years since its’ opening the museum has presented more than 200 exhibitions, expanded its permanent collection to include over 3,600 pieces, and has a membership ranking it in the top ten museums nationally with more than 30,000 members. In celebration of the museum’s 20th anniversary three ground-breaking exhibits will be presented: The Book as Art: Twenty Years of Artists’ Books from the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Italian Women Artists from Renaissance to Baroque, and WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution, 1965-1980. The museum will also inaugurate CLARA: Database of Women Artists™, a Web-accessible, authoritative resource for students, scholars, and the general public. NMWA is located at 1250 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C., in a landmark building near the White House. It is open Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday, noon–5 p.m. For information, call 202-783-5000 or visit the museum’s Web site at www.nmwa.org.

Photo:Left to right: Mrs. Laura Bush, Board Chairman Wilhelmina Cole Holladay, community member Amalia Amaki, and IMLS Director Anne Radice.