Amnah Jaafar, Expressions, Photography, Westmont High School, Grade 12, Instructor: Rachael Bradley, ArtNow 2023
Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion Action Plan - Update June 2023
January 2023-June 2023
Diep Van Pham Nguyen, Cons of Being a Wallflower, Independence High School, Grade 11, Instructor: Virginia Ingelfinger, ArtNow 2023
Goal 1
Expand the reach of our youth programs such as Museum Explorer for K-5 students, and ArtNow, our annual juried high school art exhibition, to ensure equitable opportunities for participation throughout Santa Clara County.
Progress Towards
• We launched a virtual toolkit in English and Spanish for students and teachers, grades 3-5: Makkin Mak Nommo | We Are Still Here, made in collaboration with the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe and SJSU to make guided education about the local indigenous population accessible for all.
• Title I school submissions to ArtNow nearly tripled compared to 2022, with a record number of submissions from East Side Union District (97). 12% of exhibiting artists were from Title I schools.
Goal 2
Co-create art and history exhibitions with a wide array of diverse community input (such as paid artists, guest curators, and artists in residence), ensuring the democratization of the NUMU institutional voice. Ensure a more balanced representation of underrecognized histories, BIPOC, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and women in our exhibitions.
Progress Towards
• We have identified topics for the next exhibition collaboration with the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe and are in the early stages of development for an exhibition. We are also planning future exhibitions with connections to local LGBTQ+ history and modern presence.
Goal 3
Update our website, programs, and physical space to be more accessible and reduce barriers to engagement. This includes keeping paid programs and ticket prices reasonable to help broaden access.
Progress Towards
• We fully translated an exhibition, (Un)familiar, into Farsi and Spanish.
• We now offer more in-museum accessibility tools, such as a magnifying glass, visual aid cards, and a translation device at the front desk.
(Un)familiar gallery, 2023
Goal 4
Provide a work culture that attracts diverse talent and is equitable and sustainable by offering benefits and livable salaries, as well as reasonable work hours and paid time off. Remove harmful and/or exclusive practices and policies by interrogating our internal staff work practices.
Progress Towards
• Security training from LGPD for the staff and an emergency preparedness assessment of the building and museum’s procedures
• Salary increases and continuing health benefits for full-time staffers were built into the board-approved FY24 budget.
Goal 5
Reduce barriers to board membership by being genuinely flexible with board dues and nurturing an atmosphere of inclusion for members of all backgrounds, ages, and careers. Make intentional efforts to recruit board members of diverse backgrounds to reflect the diversity of the entire Bay Area. Remove harmful and/ or exclusive practices and policies by Interrogating our internal board practices, and updating our board bylaws.
Progress Towards
• Welcomed 2 new board members.
• Welcomed 1 new board member to the DEAI committee.
• Received a coaching grant from SVCreates for professional development for the Executive Director and board.
Performers at Honoring the Earth with Mosaic America
Goal 6
Create a safe space for the Los Gatos community and the wider Bay Area to learn about equity, inclusion, and antiracism through arts and history exhibitions and programs.
Progress Towards
• NUMU staff participated in the JEDI advisory group with other members of the Los Gatos community to help foster an inclusive Town culture.
• We have begun highlighting culturally important days and months on NUMU’s social media and blog, with an emphasis on sharing resources from like-minded organizations.
• We hosted 2 large festivals in collaboration with Mosaic America, which featured performances by a multitude of local multicultural musicians and dancers, using the museum space to host diverse cultural practices.
Questions?
Email: visit@numulosgatos.org
Equity Plan Statement
New Museum Los Gatos | NUMU was founded in 1965 as a public non-profit art and history museum. NUMU’s mission is to engage the community at the intersection of art, history and education through innovative, locally connected and globally relevant exhibitions, programs and experiences. NUMU’s vision is to offer equal and equitable representation, opportunities and services to all stakeholders through our operations, exhibitions, public programs, and permanent collection. NUMU is committed to antiracism, diversity, equity, inclusion, and access because it is vital for a community institution to actively support underrepresented groups through art, design and creativity.
We specifically commit NUMU to expanding access for all, including BIPOC, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and women content creators and audiences.
