Athens, Ga. – The Georgia Art Education Association has selected Georgia Museum of Art curator Carissa DiCindio to receive the Georgia Museum Educator of the Year Award for 2009. DiCindio, associate curator of education at the Georgia Museum of Art, recently was honored at the awards banquet of the 2008 GAEA Fall Professional Learning Conference, “Art for All,” in Athens.
DiCindio was nominated for her outstanding efforts in increasing public awareness of the importance of quality art education. The award recognizes one exceptional GAEA member for exemplary contributions, service and achievement at the state level.
“This award recognizes a high level of professional accomplishment and service by a dedicated museum educator,” says GAEA president Kirby Meng. “Ms. DiCindio exemplifies the high quality of individuals involved in the field of art education today: leaders, teachers, students and advocates who give their very best to the profession. We are proud to recognize Carissa DiCindio.”
GAEA’s membership includes elementary-, secondary- and college-level art educators in public and private schools. GAEA promotes and maintains the highest possible degree of quality instruction in visual arts programs throughout the state of Georgia. GAEA is affiliated with the National Art Education Association, the largest professional association of art educators in the country.
DiCindio has been influential in reaching larger, more diverse audiences through her work with programs such as Family Day, Art Adventures, Just My Imagination, the “Picturing America” seminar and The Big Read. GMOA’s education department will continue to sponsor these and many other events and exhibitions, including collaborations with the Lyndon House Arts Center and other businesses and organizations statewide, while the museum is under renovation.
The museum closed its gallery spaces on Nov. 3, in order to begin the construction of an additional wing and renovation of its present space. This period of expansion will begin in early spring of 2009 and continue until the museum reopens to the public in early 2011.
Partial support for the exhibitions and programs at the Georgia Museum of Art is provided by the Georgia Council for the Arts through appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. The Council is a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Individuals, foundations and corporations provide additional museum support through their gifts to the Arch Foundation and the University of Georgia foundation. The Georgia Museum of Art is located in the Performing and Visual Arts Complex on the East Campus of the University of Georgia. The address is 90 Carlton Street, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602. The museum’s galleries are temporarily closed in preparation for construction of the museum’s expansion. The Museum Shop and offices are currently still open. Museum shop hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4:45 p.m., Sunday from 1 p.m. until 4:45 p.m. and Wednesday from 10 a.m. until 8:45 p.m. For more information, see www.uga.edu/gamuseum or call 706/542-GMOA (4662).