University News

University of New Haven Announces Grant to Support Visiting Artists at Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts


The University of New Haven's Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts  in Old Lyme, Conn., is the recipient of a $60,000 grant from the Robert F. Schumann Foundation for the purpose of establishing The Schumann Visiting Artist program.

July 07, 2017

Lyme Campus

The first visiting artist will begin with Lyme's spring 2018 semester and will focus on the interdependence of art and the environment.

"The visiting artist program dovetails perfectly with Lyme's strategic priority of 'Art in Context'," said Todd Jokl, campus dean. "With 'Art in Context,' we ensure that students and the college consider the meaning of our arts practice as it relates to important issues like the environment."

The visiting artist will have a range of academic and community responsibilities, including teaching a for-credit Bachelor of Fine Arts undergraduate course; conducting workshops for B.F.A. students and community members; leading field explorations; and inspiring students to create a work of art that responds to environmental issues. The art will be installed on the college's campus for a specified period of time.

"The Lyme region has a rich history of artists working in and around our pristine surroundings," Jokl said.

We wanted to couple this history with contemporary applications and approaches that will foster interactions between art and the environment for years to come.
Bobolink

Michael DiGiorgio, Durham Fairground Bobolink

The Robert F. Schumann Foundation previously contributed $30,000 to Lyme Academy College to support the upcoming joint exhibition of artists Judy Cotton and Michael DiGiorgio, which opens July 27 and runs through Aug. 16, along with associated lectures and discussions pertaining to the environment of Old Lyme and the sanctity of birdlife.




About the Robert F. Schumann Foundation

The Robert F. Schumann Foundation was created by Robert F. Schumann, a Madison resident who died in 2011. Robert Schumann is the father of Lyme Academy alumnus David Schumann, who is an advisor to the foundation with his brother, Ford Schumann.

Wells Fargo Bank and attorney Timothy Crowley are co-trustees of the Foundation. The foundation supports the arts and social and environmental causes. For more information, click here.