Sun Valley Museum of Art facts for kids

The Sun Valley Museum of Art (SVMoA) is the oldest arts organization in the central Idaho area known as the Wood River Valley. It started in 1971 as the Sun Valley Center for the Arts. Back then, it was just a few people putting on classes and events. Today, it's a big organization with over 20,000 people attending its events every year!

The museum's main art gallery and offices are in Ketchum, Idaho. But SVMoA also has another spot in Hailey, Idaho. This helps them reach more people in the southern part of Blaine County. The Hailey location has a historic 100-year-old house where the famous poet Ezra Pound was born. It also has a new classroom building.

In 2006, the Sun Valley Museum of Art earned a special status from the American Alliance of Museums. This means they follow the best ways to run a museum and offer programs. Only about five percent of art places in America have this honor. The museum is a nonprofit organization, which means it uses all its money to support its mission, not to make a profit.

Art Shows and Fun Programs

The Sun Valley Museum of Art is a "non-collecting museum." This means it doesn't own a permanent collection of art. Instead, it puts on three to four new art shows each year. These shows feature modern art and explore interesting ideas from different viewpoints.

The museum's team, including the curator (who plans the shows), works together to offer many kinds of programs. These include talks, classes, and music performances, all connected to the art on display.

Some recent art shows have explored cool topics like art and healing, supernatural experiences, how art connects to synesthesia (when senses mix, like seeing colors when you hear music), and the impact of dams in the American West.

Many talented artists have shown their work at the museum. Some of these include Cecily Brown, Tina Barney, Emmet Gowin, Ionel Talpazan, Sebastião Salgado, Sheila Hicks, Joyce Kozloff, and George Nakashima. The museum plans almost all of its own shows. Sometimes, they even send their shows to other museums!

Talks and Live Performances

The museum regularly hosts talks and concert series. They invite famous performers and smart thinkers to visit the Wood River Valley.

Some well-known people who have spoken at the Sun Valley Museum of Art include David Sedaris, author Junot Díaz, activist Gloria Steinem, Henry Louis Gates, Mary Oliver, and Terry Tempest Williams.

Past performing artists have included the Shanghai Quartet, Jake Shimabukuro, Perla Batalla, Martin Hayes, Lura, and the Vienna Choir Boys. The museum often brings these artists into local schools. They give performances, presentations, workshops, and classes to students.

The museum's outdoor summer concerts often feature popular names in rock, country, and blues. Some past performers include Lyle Lovett, Chris Isaak, The Wood Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, Arlo Guthrie, Rosanne Cash, and Jonny Lang.

Learning and Community Programs

The museum works closely with other local non-profit groups and the Blaine County School District. Museum staff help teachers by creating lesson plans that mix art into different subjects. They also visit classrooms in local schools (from kindergarten to 12th grade). Students can also visit the museum for special tours of the art shows.

The museum offers after-school art classes for elementary and middle school students. These classes are taught in both English and Spanish. The museum also provides many scholarships to local students and teachers. Most of the money for these scholarships comes from their big yearly fundraising event, the Sun Valley Wine Auction.

Sun Valley Wine Auction

The Sun Valley Wine Auction is the museum's most important fundraiser. It first happened in 1981, making it the oldest charity wine auction in the country. Wine Spectator magazine has even called it one of the Top 10 Charity Wine Auctions in the nation.

This event lasts for several days in late June. It includes a live auction gala and many special dinners at private homes. There are also public events like talks at local wine bars. Famous wineries like Harlan Estate and Paradigm have been featured. Well-known chefs like Marc Murphy and John Tesar have also been guest chefs.