Arkansas Arts Center Collections Inventory and Database Conversion Project

FAIN: PB-275439-20

Arkansas Arts Center (Little Rock, AR 72203-2137)
Katharine Hall (Project Director: May 2020 to October 2021)

The AAC seeks funding to resume and sustain its inventory and database conversion project for its 14,000-object art collection. The AAC has recently completed a scheduled data migration of its collection records from EmbARK, a 20-year-old collections database software, to TMS Collections, a state-of-the-art Cloud-based collections database. This project’s next step has been hampered by collections and curatorial staff furloughs and a hold placed on two new staff hires. Activities in this next step require full staff capacity and include an inventory of the collection and supporting materials; database comparisons; digitizing physical object records; and integrating TMS, the AAC website, and eMuseum, which will allow the public to explore and research the collection online. These activities will ensure accuracy of collections information within the new database, leading staff to richer interpretation capabilities and improved content and variety of exhibitions for the public.