The Art Newspaper gives background information on the news that the US State Department is funding a new museum initiative designed to advance US foreign policy. The department’s cultural-diplomacy arm, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, has established a programme in conjunction with the American Association of Museums (AAM), that will see US museums collaborating with foreign institutions in “community-focused” partnerships.

Proposals that include foreign museums pre-selected by US Embassies and Consulates “may receive additional consideration by the MCCA Selection Committee”, the application guidelines state.The State Department requires that (these proposals include a statement explaining: “How this project promotes US foreign policy.”

Read full article (The Art Newspaper, July 12, 2007)

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Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam has revealed plans for a new storage space for its expanding collections, including striking images of five possible designs by Rotterdam based architects MVRDV. The director of the museum, Sjarel Ex, claims that it will become the first museum depot in the world to accomodate both private and public (museum) collections, blurring the boundaries between personal and institutional interests. How much private collectors will have to pay for storing their valuable belongings remains unclear, but this concept could help museums turning a burden into a cash cow.

Go to website Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
Go to website MVRDV