Wexner Center receives major grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services

Columbus, Ohio—The Film/Video Studio Program at the Wexner Center for the Arts has received a two-year, $150,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The  award—part of IMLS’s Museums for America program—will be used for the development of an accessible archive of works created with the support of the Wexner Center’s Film/Video Studio Program over its 27-year history. This includes digitization and preservation of videos originally created in a number of now-outdated formats.

While this is the first grant awarded for the development of this archive, it follows two recent awards for the center’s highly respected Film/Video department: a $100,000 grant from the Warhol Foundation, and a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

“Since the center’s inception 27 years ago, the Film/Video Studio Program has been a beacon and a resource for artists across the country and internationally,” says Wexner Center Director Sherri Geldin. “It remains the only program of its kind—providing financial support, state-of-the-art technology, and full-time editors to artists working in every conceivable film/video format. Such generous funding from IMLS, along with that from the Warhol Foundation, the NEA and other donors, is testament to the Studio Program’s unique contributions to the field. This grant will allow for the long-term care and preservation of this ever-growing trove of moving image artistry, and provide both scholarly and public access to the robust online catalogue of these works.”

Notes Jennifer Lange, curator of the Film/Video Studio Program, “This show of support from the IMLS is so meaningful. For the first time in the center’s history, the work produced through the Film/Video Studio–about 400-plus videos by about 300 artists–will be publically discoverable as a collection for scholars, students, artists, filmmakers, curators, and film lovers across the country. We hope that as the project highlights the history and impact of this unique program, it will also create a road map for other kinds of cataloguing and digitization projects, at the Wex and at other museums.”

ABOUT THE FILM/VIDEO STUDIO PROGRAM

The Wexner Center’s Film/Video Studio Program is a concentrated laboratory and residency program, offering technical and creative support to video artists and filmmakers. Designed primarily for use as a post-production facility for the creation of moving image work, the studio has equipment and resources that are comparable to those at most commercial facilities. These, along with an experienced staff of editors, allow artists to do advanced post-production work in a professional environment without the often prohibitive expense.

The Film/Video Studio Program offers residencies to approximately 25 artists a year and has supported more than 300 artists from around the world since its inception in 1989. Works range from narratives to documentaries, to experimental and gallery-based installation work, and they go on to show at festivals and museums and galleries around the world. Among the artists who have worked in residence in the studio are Sadie Benning, Kevin Jerome Everson, Jeanne Liotta, Sam Green, Liza Johnson, William E. Jones, Miranda July, Tom Kalin, Guy Maddin, the Quay Brothers, Kelly Reichardt, and more.

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Its mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive.

For more on The Institute of Museum and Library Services: www.imls.gov