“SPARK NIGHT”: The Zimmerli Art Museum’s celebration of  Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on Thursday, November 2 from 4:30 to 8 p.m. will feature performances, art activities, music, and food. It is the first event supported by a recent grant from Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All initiative.

The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University – New Brunswick announced that it has received a $560,000 grant from Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All initiative. Over a three-year period, the Zimmerli will implement new and augment existing efforts to reduce barriers by transforming it into a more fully bilingual museum. The grant funds will support programming and communication — such as signage, gallery labels, promotional materials — presented in English and Spanish. The museum’s efforts build upon prior offerings that have been well received by visitors of all ages.

“The Zimmerli has long understood the importance of access. We introduced free admission for all visitors in 2014 and have gradually made public programming free,” said Zimmerli Director Maura Reilly. “But those were only the first steps. Conceived as an empathetic museum for a beloved community, our mission is to create a welcoming environment that also dismantles invisible barriers traditionally standing between art institutions and the communities they serve. The Zimmerli is in the very diverse city comprised of 46 percent Latinx people, and with a public school system that reports 92 percent Latinx students. Our aim is to bridge the gap between our museum and our Spanish-speaking neighbors.”

The first event supported by the grant is SparkNight: Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on Thursday, November 2 from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Inspired by the popularity of last year’s event, the Zimmerli’s celebration of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) features new programming through partnerships with campus and community organizations that provide performances, art activities, music, and food. Returning partners include Mexican American Student Association (MASA) and Center of Latino Arts and Culture (CLAC), both at Rutgers University; New Brunswick Cultural Center; State Theatre New Jersey; Meraki Face Painting; Mariachi Hidalgo; and Gringos Tacos food truck. 

In early 2024, the Zimmerli will launch “Último Domingo,” a monthly Sunday program that will offer an always evolving range of cultural activities, such as artmaking, artist talks, and performances, in Spanish and English. 

Throughout the museum, various written materials will be translated into Spanish. Since 2021, labels in the children’s gallery and special exhibitions have been in English and Spanish; the grant enables the museum to expand its bilingual museum initiative throughout the building, into additional permanent galleries and smaller rotating exhibitions. Wayfinding and general information museum signage also will be translated. In addition, promotional materials will increasingly include Spanish translations.

Art Bridges Foundation, the national arts nonprofit founded by philanthropist Alice Walton, is providing $40 million in funding to 64 museums — spanning 36 states and Puerto Rico — through Access for All. This initiative aims to increase access to museums across the country, providing museums the opportunity to foster engagement by developing tailored programming specifically for their communities.

Access for All represents a sweeping effort to get people back to museums after COVID-19 brought declines in revenue, staffing and attendance. It aims to restore pre-pandemic levels of attendance and open opportunities for all people to enjoy American art by reducing barriers to access and strengthening community relationships.   

The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers is located at 71 Hamilton Street (at George Street) on the College Avenue Campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick. It is open Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m. For more information, visit zimmerli.rutgers.edu.