Wiregrass Museum of Art - Dothan, AL
N 31° 13.474 W 085° 23.351
16R E 653426 N 3455608
The Wiregrass Museum of Art in downtown Dothan, Alabama, USA, is located in the old Municipal Light and Water Plant, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.
Waymark Code: WM6ETB
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 05/23/2009
Views: 5
The following history of this art museum is from the
Wiregrass Museum of Art website:
The Wiregrass Museum of Art is the result of a community’s genuine desire for the arts in the city of Dothan, Alabama and surrounding communities of the Wiregrass Region. Image Begun in 1991, WMA has grown to be the flagship of the arts in the Wiregrass with a mission to bring the fine arts and art education to Dothan and the Wiregrass Region. However, it took years of planning and dedication by a group of local people to bring WMA to life.
In 1986 a national magazine listed Dothan, Alabama among one of the “Worst Places to Live” in America. One reason the magazine gave was the city’s lack of a museum. To address the issue, current mayor at the time, Larry Register, appointed a Feasibility Study Committee to address the possibilities of establishing a museum in Dothan. Members of the committee included Sam Kates, Terry Slaughter, Lucille Smith, Bob Johnstone, Pat Flowers, Katrina Faulk, Lucille Quattlebaum, Elaine Johnson, Jeannie Maddox, Mary Heersink, Ann Hart, and Francina Williams.
Today the WMA is home to seven galleries exhibiting works from its more than 500 piece collection alongside the works of local, state and national artists. In addition to its galleries, the museum’s 12 thousand sq. ft. Conference Center, with a Great Hall and four meetings rooms, provides rental space for corporate and private events.
The WMA offers an assortment of art programs for citizens of the Wiregrass Region designed to create and enhance art participation, family and community involvement and art experiences. Financial support for these programs, preservation of the collection and other museum operations are received through annual appropriation for the city of Dothan, donations from private and public sources, grants and foundations, membership dues, and earned income.
Besides providing art and art education to the community of Dothan, WMA frequently partners with other organizations on various projects and festivals in the Wiregrass Region, these organizations include: Troy University, Dothan City Schools, Houston County Schools, The Downtown Group, The City of Dothan, Wallace Community College, Dothan Civic Center, Dothan Opera House, Landmark Park, Dothan Humane Society, Dothan Service League and the Dothan Wiregrass Art League.