Message from the President & CEO

As North Carolina’s first and oldest arts institution, The Mint Museum celebrates
three important milestones this fall – the one-year anniversary of the opening
of The Mint Museum Uptown, the 40th anniversary of our Historic Costume &
Fashionable Dress collection, and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the
museum. On behalf of our entire staff and Board of Trustees, I want to thank
the community for 75 years of unwavering support and passionate engagement.

There has never been a more exciting time to connect with The Mint Museum.
The fall offers a flurry of opportunities both at our Uptown facility and Mint
Museum Randolph. The highly anticipated exhibition Romare Bearden: Southern
Recollections opened on the centennial of Bearden’s birth, 2 September 2011,
and examines how the South served as an inspiration throughout his career.
We will premier on 1 October a 50-year retrospective of work by Sheila Hicks,
one of the most important and influential artists working today. The Mint
Museum Randolph just held its beloved 7th Annual Potters Market Invitational
on 10 September, and opens two other significant exhibitions this month:
Aesthetic Ambitions: Edward Lycett and Brooklyn’s Faience Manufacturing
Company and A Thriving Tradition: 75 Years of Collecting North Carolina Pottery.
All of these exhibitions are supported by innovative educational programming
for all ages.

At its core, The Mint Museum is a gathering place for all people to experience
art that inspires, illuminates, educates, and informs. The institution is uniquely
poised to enter our 75th year with an unbridled enthusiasm for the future, and
a commitment to excellence that will enhance our image and reputation as one
of the most admired and innovative museums in the country. One year from
now, Charlotte and The Mint Museum will take center stage as host of the 2012
Democratic National Convention. This incredible opportunity will allow us to
attract a new and diverse group of artists and visitors from all over the world.

We are about to embark on an ambitious strategic plan that will position the
institution to grow its scope of influence and impact on our region – and that
means that your support has never been more important. I encourage you to
explore all of the opportunities the museum offers to deepen your engagement
with the visual arts, awaken your passions, and become an ambassador during
this historic time. Your continued interest and involvement will enable our
special museum to shine brightly for 75 more years and beyond.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, PH.D.

President & CEO of The Mint Museum

Photo by Thomas R. DuBrock