2019 DAY OF GIVING

As a center of lifelong learning, the de Saisset Museum supports Santa Clara University's goal of educating the whole person through engaging objects of art and history, public programming, and integrated educational opportunities for students.

Since 2006, the de Saisset Museum and Santa Clara University’s Department of Art and Art History have collaborated on eight acquisitions projects in which students learn how museums develop and maintain a permanent collection, ultimately selecting new works to enter the de Saisset’s collection.

Many of these projects were developed as Acquisitions for Diversity, helping the Museum pursue its dedication to acquiring works of art that showcase under-recognized or under-appreciated artists and demographics.

“Finishing this class by completing this acquisitions project really brought the experience full circle; we were able to use what we learned and put it towards something meaningful that would benefit Santa Clara, and the greater community.” - Acquisitions Project Student, 2015

Through independent research, paper writing, class discussion, and final presentations the students involved in these courses make recommendations to the museum on which artworks from a pre-approved shortlist should enter the permanent collection.

To date, students have selected a combined forty-two artworks for the Museum’s permanent collection and the eighth acquisition project will lead to the purchase of new works in Spring 2019. Twelve artworks that came to the museum’s collection through this process are currently included in the exhibition Out of Tradition: Sacred & Profane featuring the work of Contemporary Native artists.

Your support helps us continue programs such as Acquisitions for Diversity projects which engage SCU students in the research of and decision-making around artworks to join our permanent collection. Thank you for contributing!