For Immediate Release: October 22, 2021 |
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Bennington Museum receives funds to expand
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts
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The Vermont Community Foundation and Soul Steps dance troupe |
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The New York City-based African American dance troupe, Soul Steps, gave Bennington a taste of their talents this June with a smash performance on the Merchant's Park stage. After the performance, Soul Steps founder, Maxine Lyle, noted, "We saw a need in the town for work that supported black culture...We believe our work is a critical entry point for dialogue and can contribute to Bennington becoming a more inclusive space for the BIPOC community."
To further that goal, Bennington Museum volunteered to serve as a fiscal sponsor for their organization so that they could apply for grants that would help to support a wintertime residency in Bennington. In December, Soul Steps will be presenting a public reading at the Bennington Performing Arts Center of their new musical in development which explores race and identity for young black America through the lens of step dance.
Bennington Museum recently received $3,000 from the Vermont Community Foundation’s Spark Connecting Community grant program, and an additional $1,000 from the Vermont Community Foundation's Landmann Family Fund in support of this project. These grants align with Bennington Museum's commitment to showcasing the diverse stories of our region and expanding our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
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The Vermont Community Foundation inspires giving and brings people and resources together to make a difference in Vermont. A family of hundreds of funds and foundations, we provide the advice, investment vehicles, and back-office expertise that make it easy for the people who care about Vermont to find and fund the causes they love.
The heart of the Community Foundation’s work is closing the opportunity gap—the divide that leaves too many Vermonters struggling to get ahead, no matter how hard they work. We are aligning our time, energy, and discretionary resources on efforts that provide access to early care and learning, pathways to college and career training, support for youth and families, and community and economic vitality. We envision Vermont at its best—where everyone has the opportunity to build a bright, secure future.
SAVE THE DATE:
The reading of STEP SHOW: THE MUSICAL will take place at the Bennington Performing Arts Center on Saturday, December 11. The Museum will share the event on the Museum's Facebook event calendar as more details are confirmed and will also share it in upcoming newsletters.
Productions are expensive to produce. If you would like to support Soul Steps in their creative journey visit their Go Fund Me page to make a gift and to see samples of their work.
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Historic New England Herbert and Louise Whitney Fund
Community Preservation Grant for Stopping Stones
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The Stopping Stones project is a national effort intended to engage communities with the local and broader history of slavery by memorializing the names of enslaved persons with markers in the places they were once held. The organization works toward repairing inequality in education, health, justice, and economics, the effects of American slavery, and to move our nation toward racial equity and equal opportunity. Stopping Stones believes that communities must recognize history in order to shape the future.
In support of bringing this project to Bennington, Bennington Museum has been designated as the Vermont recipient of an Historic New England Herbert and Louise Whitney Fund Community Preservation Grant.
"Bennington Museum is committed to telling the stories of all of our region’s people," says Director of Public Programs, Deana Mallory. "We believe that it is important to learn the stories of enslaved Benningtonians and to remember that slavery existed everywhere, even in Vermont. We acknowledge that museums have historically not shared the point of view of enslaved peoples, and this project will allow us to address some of the damage caused by that neglect."
Museum volunteers have begun research to identify enslaved individuals in Bennington. With funding from this grant, the Museum intends to partner with schools to continue the research and engage students in the project in order to develop a broader understanding of our community’s past as well as put its present into context.
For more information on how to get involved please email Deana Mallory. If you would like to make a donation to support programming like this at the Museum, you may do so HERE.
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Visit benningtonmuseum.org to learn more.
Bennington Museum is located at 75 Main Street in Bennington, Vermont.
Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students over 18.
Bennington Museum participates in NARM, Blue Star Museum,
and the Museums for All initiatives.
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Bennington Museum engages and transforms our visitors and our community by connecting you to the region’s diverse arts, rich history, and culture of innovation.
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