Wiregrass Museum of Art Receives $13,000 from Wiregrass Foundation and Southeast Alabama Community Foundation for Education Programs

The Wiregrass Museum of Art (WMA) is proud to announce it has received $13,000 from two local foundations to support art education programs at the museum. A $10,000 grant from the Wiregrass Foundation will support WMA’s 2025 Summer Outreach and Camp Scholarship programs. This critical funding will increase access to arts education for underserved youth across Houston, Dale, Henry, and Geneva counties, ensuring that creative opportunities are available to all students—regardless of their financial circumstances or geographic location.

WMA will provide art enrichment to more than 300 school-age students through off-site outreach, hands-on instruction, and take-home art kits.The funding will also provide 14 full scholarships to WMA’s in-house summer camps, allowing K–12 students from low-income and rural communities to attend weeklong, artist-led camps held at the museum.

WMA’s summer programs are built on partnerships with community organizations including Hawk Houston Youth Enrichment Center, Wiregrass Boys and Girls Club, and Ozark Boys and Girls Club. These partnerships allow WMA educators to deliver structured art activities to approximately 300 youth at off-site locations. In addition, the museum will distribute 2,000 take-home art kits containing materials and guided lessons to families across the region, expanding the reach of these programs well beyond museum walls.

Support from the Wiregrass Foundation helps us address a significant gap in access to arts education. For many young people in our region, especially those living in rural or underserved areas, summer arts programming offers more than creative expression—it builds confidence, supports academic development, and fosters lifelong connections to the arts. By removing barriers to participation, the museum empowers young people to explore their creativity, engage with the visual arts, and discover new pathways for personal and academic success.

WMA will also receive a $3,000 Community Trust Grant from the Southeast Alabama Community Foundation to support two vital educational and community-based initiatives: First Saturday Family Day (FSFD) and the museum’s new Curriculum Kit Program, launched earlier this spring. This funding helps WMA continue to meet students, families, and teachers where they are. These programs foster creativity, support academic success, and offer transformative experiences through the visual arts.

WMA’s Curriculum Kit Program is a direct response to conversations with local educators from Dothan City Schools and Houston County Schools, who identified urgent academic needs in 7th and 8th-grade math, 6th-12th-grade science, and early literacy for PreK-3rd grade, particularly as students prepare for ACAP and Alabama Literacy Act assessments.

The kits, which can be checked out at no cost to teachers and families, include hands-on, art-integrated lesson plans and materials aligned with Alabama’s academic standards, offering instructors a flexible and engaging way to strengthen classroom instruction. The kits also aim to promote critical thinking and creativity, skills proven to support long-term student success.

WMA’s long running program, First Saturday Family Day, provides free monthly workshops for families to create together and explore the arts through diverse, hands-on activities led by professional artists and educators. This program has become a beloved community event that fosters intergenerational learning and creativity, particularly for families with limited access to traditional arts programming. As WMA rebuilds participation following the challenges of the pandemic and recent construction-related interruptions, FSFD continues to serve as an essential outlet for cultural engagement and community connection.

Studies consistently show the value of arts education in closing achievement gaps. Low-income students involved in the arts are five times less likely to drop out and more than twice as likely to earn a college degree. They also develop key workforce skills like communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. Yet funding for public school arts programming continues to decline. WMA’s Curriculum Kit Program and FSFD directly address these losses by providing accessible, consistent, and high-impact resources to teachers, students, and families.

The Southeast Alabama Community Foundation’s investment in these programs is a critical step in ensuring that all children in the Wiregrass—regardless of income or zip code—have the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive through the arts.

“We’re proud to stand alongside our community partners to create programs that are responsive, relevant, and rooted in local needs. We believe that creativity and learning go hand in hand. With the support of the Wiregrass Foundation and the Southeast Alabama Community Foundation, we are ensuring that every child, regardless of income or geography, can experience the transformative power of the arts. These grants allow us to extend our reach, meeting students and educators where they are and providing meaningful tools that support both academic success and artistic exploration,” says Dana-Marie Lemmer, executive director of WMA.

For more information about WMA programs and upcoming events, visit www.wiregrassmuseum.org.

About the Wiregrass Museum of Art

Wiregrass Museum of Art inspires a lifelong appreciation for the visual arts by providing innovative educational programs that engage diverse audiences through the collection and exhibition of quality works. Since its inception in 1987, WMA has offered educational programs, nationally-acclaimed art exhibitions and community events throughout the year. Its Board of Trustees guides the long-term vision and strategic goals, while its membership, City and County support, and grant funding provide the resources needed to fulfill its mission.

WMA’s galleries are open to the public every Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. General admission is always free.