By Samantha Iniguez
Vincent Price Art Museum Director, Pilar Tompkins-Rivera said the museum falls within the operations of East Los Angeles College and will remain closed.
“Like all non-essential parts of the campus, the museum will remain closed until we have a reopening plan set forth by the LACCD,” Tomkins said.
She said because students make up both their gallery attendants and guest services the museum would not be able to open without them.
Tomkins said as soon as students are allowed back on campus and student-workers can work customer relations jobs the museum will start on the reopening process. She said before this happens there are a lot of safety measures that will need to be put into place and the museum will work closely with the district when that begins.
Earlier in the semester VPAM hoped to carry on with the yearly student exhibition since the fate of Fall classes had yet to be decided. Since then Los Angeles Community College District CHancellor Francisco Rodriguez has confirmed that both Summer and Fall classes will continue online. In light of this information VPAM decided that instead of holding an online exhibit it would be better to cancel it altogether.
In order to give students the opportunity to display the work they’ve produced during this school year she’s said all departments involved with the exhibition thought it best to allow students to submit work from this academic year in 2021’sexhibition.
Tompkins said, “After discussing what to do about the fall 2020 student show with the instructors in the art and architecture departments, we agreed that rather than try to make a virtual exhibition. Students will be invited next year to submit work produced over two academic years when we are able to present the student show again in fall 2021.”
Tomkins said although the Student exhibition was canceled for this coming fall, the museum is ramping up other opportunities for students.
The Art Department and other academic departments have joined together to develop a new Museum Studies Certificate program that will be offered in fall.
She said this fall there will be a museum studies course offered. The course will consist of behind the scene tours of Los Angeles museums and surrounding areas.
Once VPAM is reopened there will be a designated space made for students in the program. Students will have lectures, hands-on-learning with the museums collection, and will be used for student capstone projects.
Tompkins said VPAM is also currently accepting applications for the Smithsonian Undergraduate Internship Programs.
The program is a five-week internship in which students get the opportunity to engage in museum studies. The application deadline is June 12, 2020.
For more information on the new Musuem Studies Certificate program go to http://vincentpriceartmuseum.org/museumstudies.html and for more information of the Smithsonian Undergradute Intership Program go to http://vincentpriceartmuseum.org/opportunities%EF%80%A2smithsonian-internship.html.