About Artrain USA
[Exhibition & Education Programs] [Artist Studio] [Maggie & Bob Allesee Fellowship] [National Tours] [Community Visits] [Audience] [Evaluations & Outcomes] [Budget] [Staff]
Traveling to communities across the United States, Artrain USA is “America’s Hometown Art Museum.” A nonprofit organization, Artrain USA’s mission is to enrich lives and build communities through the arts. Artrain USA brings world class art exhibitions and art education programs to communities and their residents and delivers exceptional opportunities for learning, growth and art appreciation while encouraging the development of local cultural programs and organizations. Artrain USA received the 2006 National Service Medal for Museums by the Institute of Museum and Library Service and its 2004 – 2007 contemporary Native American art exhibition Native Views: Influences of Modern Culture was named an American Masterpiece by the National Endowment of the Arts that same year.
Exhibitions and Education Programs
Artrain USA works with independent curators and cultural institutions to create exhibitions that are excellent in artistic and presentation quality, educational and understandable for a diverse audience. Previous lending institutions include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, the Whitney Museum, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Cranbrook Institute of Art and the Detroit Institute of Arts. Artrain USA does not own a permanent art collection.
Artrain USA develops educational materials that correspond to each exhibition. These programs include an art education curriculum, art demonstrations in the Artist Studio, guided educational tours, volunteer docent training and an onsite arts activity. With Artrain USA’s objective of introducing people to or sparking their interest in art and with more than one third of its annual audience being school-aged children, special emphasis is placed on providing quality materials that are creative, engaging and informative.
Artist Studio
The Artist Studio is one of Artrain USA’s favorite and most rewarding components. It is here that Artrain USA’s staff artists and artists from host communities demonstrate their talents and interact with visitors. Artists are chosen by their local communities and volunteer their time. Visitors have an opportunity to observe works in progress and are encouraged to ask questions and participate. In doing so, they learn about the creative process and are introduced to the wealth of artists and art programs available to them locally. Demonstrating artists are often introduced to fellow artists who visit the train or volunteer. They also benefit from comments and suggestions made by visitors. Many appreciate the opportunity to work their craft and promote their works while bringing recognition to the significance of the arts in our lives. The Artist Studio has resulted in groups of artists remaining in contact, working together on collaborative efforts and promoting the arts in their communities.
The Maggie and Bob Allesee Fellowship
Artrain USA is fortunate to offer the Maggie and Bob Allesee Fellowship. Established in 2001, the Fellowship was created to provide recent graduates in the fine and museum arts continued learning experiences. Allesee Fellows have the unique opportunity to see the country, meet thousands of people, connect with artists and gain valuable work skills. Fellows continue to develop their professional and artistic skills, while broadening their knowledge of the arts, arts administration, curatorial and conservation practices. This program is named in honor of Maggie and Bob Allesee.
National Tours
Once an exhibition is installed onboard Artrain USA, it embarks on a national tour that lasts approximately two to four years. Artrain USA divides the nation into regions and focuses on one region per year. Communities with populations as small as 300 and as large as 3 million have hosted Artrain USA. Rural areas without museums as well as culturally diverse cities benefit because Artrain USA’s unique facility attracts both non-traditional audiences as well as “art lovers.” Often in small towns, 50 to 100 percent of the population takes part in Artrain USA’s programs. It is in these communities that Artrain USA creates a permanent legacy by nurturing local community artistic development.
Community Visits
The scheduling of a community visit often begins eighteen months prior to Artrain USA rolling into town. During that time, Artrain USA staff works with a local community group to plan the visit providing one-on-one assistance and Artrain USA’s Community Handbook. Based on more than 30 years of experience, the Community Handbook is the definitive guide to hosting Artrain USA. It provides information on organizing a steering committee and committee structure, fundraising, coordinating volunteers and demonstrating artists, promoting the event and preparing the site. Host organizations are often local government agencies, chambers of commerce, art centers, art museums and local volunteer groups among others. Local Artrain USA volunteers, as many as 100 in a single community, prepare the site, organize school tours, recruit others, manage public relations, raise funds, act as docents and demonstrate as artists onboard. This effort is the heart of a successful Artrain USA program in host communities.
Artrain USA encourages local organizations to engage in a dialogue with and include other diverse community organizations in the planning and implementation of Artrain USA’s visit. Artrain USA has found that the more varied organizations that are involved, the greater impact the visit will have on the entire community. The interaction between the diverse groups broadens public awareness of the program and organizations. The relationships formed as a result of these cross-organizational efforts can be used as a platform for future events and as the foundation for an improved community.
A typical community visit lasts five days. The first day is reserved for facility setup, volunteer orientations and a community reception or ribbon-cutting ceremony. During the school-year, two days are reserved for guided educational tours for schools and other special interest groups. Artrain USA is open to the general public for two days during the school-year or four days during the summer. General public visitors are given a short introduction to Artrain USA and the exhibition and allowed to tour the galleries at their own pace. Volunteer docents are stationed throughout the galleries to provide additional information and answer questions. In addition, children and interested adults can use an exhibition scavenger hunt activity to enhance the learning experience.
Admission to Artrain USA is free to the public in most host communities. Visitors are solicited for a donation to help off-set the costs of Artrain USA’s extensive programs. Visitors are not required to make a donation to enter the museum but for those who are able to, their support is very much appreciated.
Audience
A visit to Artrain USA is an exciting cultural adventure for children and adults of all ages, backgrounds and levels of art knowledge. Artrain USA targets its programs to culturally under-resourced communities and those individuals within any community whom lack access to the arts or do not seek out cultural experiences. Artrain USA’s exhibitions and programs, however, are also enjoyed by experienced museum patrons and art enthusiasts.
Evaluations and Outcomes
Artrain USA welcomes comments and suggestions from its visitors and volunteers. In every community, written evaluations are collected from docents, demonstrating artists, visiting schoolteachers, general public visitors and community organizers. The exhibition is rated on content, presentation, general appeal, educational value, and ease in understanding as well as the flow of information. Advance support materials are rated on content, presentation, ease of use, educational value and effectiveness. Artrain USA’s staff is rated on presentation, professionalism, helpfulness and courtesy. Artrain USA utilizes this vital information in considering changes to the current educational programs and in planning future exhibitions.
Artrain USA’s programs have a profound impact on individual visitors, host organizations and entire communities. The most obvious outcome is the greater accessibility to the arts that Artrain USA provides to people with limited access to traditional museums and cultural programs.
From a volunteer organizer:
Artrain USA’s visit would be best described as a once in a lifetime opportunity. There are many people in the community who might never visit an art exhibition. This event was a cultural bridge, showcasing the world of art to people who had a limited exposure at best.
In addition, Artrain USA’s exhibitions, educational activities and on-site artists encourage people to use or explore their artistic and creative abilities, sparking an interest in the arts that can last a lifetime.
From a volunteer artist:
I visited Artrain for the first time when I was in the 3rd grade in Montana and wished that I could work on it. Today, I volunteered as a demonstrating artist onboard; so this has actually been a wish come true. It was an experience I’ll never forget, one I’ll talk about for a long time to come and one I wouldn’t have missed for the world.
A broader reaching outcome results from the all-inclusive community effort required to host Artrain USA. This effort among diverse community organizations creates long-lasting relationships between these organizations and individuals in the community. In addition, Artrain USA visits have spurred the creation of new arts agencies, education programs, community development efforts, funding relationships and exhibition facilities.
From a host community:
This was a wonderful opportunity for the city, the economic development and urban renewal departments, the Chamber of Commerce and the historic association to partner on a single event. While we have worked on community events before, each entity was focused on their own concerns. With the Artrain USA project, we were all focused on the same thing. What a good opportunity for all of us!
Click here to let us know about your Artrain USA experience (bring up email)
Budget
Artrain USA’s annual budget is approximately $1.5 million. Funding comes from contributions (80%) and earned revenues (20%). Contributed revenues include foundation and government grants, corporate gifts and sponsorships and individual donations. Earned revenue sources include program fees and gift shop sales.
Artrain USA asks host communities to offset a small portion of the actual expenses associated with each community visit. The program fee a community pays accounts for approximately 20 percent of Artrain USA’s total costs. Host communities also pay for incidentals such as restrooms and telephone service.
Staff
Artrain USA has a professional staff of approximately twenty people, including those staff members that travel with Artrain USA’s museum facility approximately eleven months out of the year. Exhibition staff members include a tour manager and four Allesee Fellows. They travel to host communities in automobiles. Facility staff travels with the facility to maintain the systems during transit.
For a full list of staff contacts click here.
To contact Artrain USA call 1-800-ART-1971 or email info@ArtrainUSA.org.