A Foundation for Collections Access: Retaining and Cross-Training Staff to Digitize Permanent Collection Records at Cheekwood

FAIN: PB-275392-20

Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art (Nashville, TN 37205-4206)
Julie M. Choma (Project Director: May 2020 to October 2021)

The retention of nine staff positions, including cross-training three whose roles are under-utilized during closure, for a project that would update curatorial records and digitize archival records and correspondence relating to Cheekwood’s art collection and the Cheek family.

Cheekwood seeks to conduct a collections digitization project that will lay the foundation for online public access to its significant permanent collections, elevate its collections management through accurate/up-to-date digital records, and allow the retention/cross-training of staff who may otherwise experience furlough due to the economic strains of COVID-19. Cheekwood’s Registrar and curatorial team will engage three colleagues from currently underutilized/at-risk roles to complete needed physical/informational data entry to collection records, including digitization of Cheekwood’s preeminent sculptures and almost 300 historic letters related to Cheekwood’s founding family as well as database updates from a curatorial collections assessment. This project will improve Cheekwood’s collections management and create future opportunities for the cultural sector/general public to digitally access the collections for ongoing research, engagement, and humanities education.