Renovation Fundraiser

 

Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (MTCC) is one of the few state museums in the nation with a mission to preserve, interpret and celebrate the history of African Americans.

MTCC recognizes that history is not stagnant and, in partnership with stakeholders, has developed an interpretive plan that will allow it to remain a welcoming space to learn while engaging increasingly diverse and complex audiences. This fully updated space re-envisions a 10-year-old educational exhibit to embrace inclusivity and widens its focus to reflect and share the complete story of black Arkansans from across the state.

With your support, the museum can grow to better tell its story to the more than 30,000 visitors who come each year to learn about the African American experience in Arkansas.

You can play a part in the next chapter of MTCC’s story by contributing to our renovation fundraiser.

 

More about Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and the Department of Arkansas Heritage

  • The MTCC officially opened its doors September 19, 2008, honoring the story of the Mosaic Templars of America and African Americans in Arkansas.
  • Division of Arkansas Heritage (DAH) is comprised of the MTCC, the Delta Cultural Center, the Historic Arkansas Museum, the Old State House Museum, the Arkansas Arts Council, the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, and the Arkansas State Archives.
  • A large majority of programs and events at MTCC and DAH are free to the public. 

How much will the renovations cost, and how are funds being raised?

  • To implement this update, MTCC needs to raise $3.5 million so we can begin construction on the new space.
  • Funds are being sought through fundraisers, petitioning individuals and corporate donations and grants. 

Why is the renovation needed?

  • The average lifespan for a museum exhibit is five to seven years. 
  • MTCC’s current 10-year-old educational first floor exhibit will be modernized and re-envisioned.
  • Building on the legacy established by the Mosaic Templars of America, the new space embraces inclusivity and widens its focus to reflect and share the complete story of black Arkansans from across the state.

Why Does MTCC seek donations for the renovation fundraiser?

  • MTCC, through DAH, is fortunate to have baseline funding that covers salaries, operations, some education programs, etc.
  • Current financial contributions and public-private public partnerships allow the museum to offer free admission to the Museum and to events such as Juneteenth, which is attended by thousands of people from across the state.
  • Implementing other educational programs, creating exhibitions and increasing our collections are supported by revenue from the gift shop, rental fees, and federal and private funding. 

Where do donations go towards in the renovation, and what is the benefit?

  • Donors assist by financially supporting fabrication and research, object acquisitions or other essential exhibition material.
  • Donations to the renovation fundraiser are recognized in various ways and are contingent on the amount given.                 

headshot of man with mustache in jacket with purple tie

Ronald Dedman

Committee Chairman
Little Rock

Ronald Dedman has only had one employer for more than 41 years – AT&T. He started out as an intern in 1974 and has continued to work in various positions leading up to his current role as president of AT&T Arkansas. Because AT&T’s mission includes serving the communities in which employees live and work, Ronnie has been dedicated to community service throughout his career. He previously served as chairman of the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, being the first African American to hold the position. He’s also particularly proud to have been initially appointed by Governor Mike Huckabee, then reappointed by Governor Mike Beebe, to the board of trustees for Pulaski Technical College, where he served as a board member for 10 years and had the unique opportunity to twice serve as chairman of the board.

Serving as a member on these boards, whether associated with his work or due to personal conviction, has allowed Ronnie to make a positive difference in many areas. He believes he can make a difference serving as chairman of MTCC’s renovation fundraiser committee by helping MTCC preserve the past while looking forward to the future.

Committee Members:

headshot of woman in library wearing coat and glasses        headshot of woman in jacket with arms crossed

Carolyn Henderson Allen                        Evette Allen, PhD

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville         Arkansas State University, Jonesboro

 

headshot of man in jacket with grid-patterned collard shirt        headshot of woman wearing large necklace

Brandon Morris                                          Angela Shaw

Union Pacific, North Little Rock                 Cumulus Media, Little Rock

headshot of man in jacket with red tie with u.s. flag and arkansas flag in background        headshot of man in jacket with navy patterned tie

Retired U.S. Army Col.                              Warrick Sabin

Nathaniel Todd                                          Aspen Institute, Washington D.C.

Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Pine Bluff           

MTCC innovate

https://www.exhibitconcepts.com/museum-exhibitions

https://nlprod.com/exhibits/ 

Exhibit Concepts, Inc.
Since its establishment in 1978, Exhibit Concepts, Inc. has cultivated an outstanding reputation for producing, installing and maintaining quality displays for interpretive facilities, museums and visitor centers throughout the United States. Their award-winning work has been featured at museums such as the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola, Miss., Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark., and most recently, at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.

Northern Light Productions
Northern Light Productions creates distinctive non-fiction media experiences for museums, institutions, and broadcast television. They develop and produce a variety of audiovisual tools for exhibitions, including immersive media environments, interactive experiences, and well-crafted narrative films. A list of Northern Light Productions African American history projects includes the following:

  • Brown v. Board of Education Historic Site, National Park Service, Topeka, KS
  • Dunbar House National Historic Site, National Park Service, Dayton, OH
  • United States Marshals Museum, Fort Smith, AR
  • Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: African Voices Hall, Washington, DC

Mercer Associates, Inc.
Sunni Mercer, owner of Mercer Associates, Inc., is a certified interpretive planner with a background in museums, exhibits and visitor centers.Sunni has won multiple awards including from the Oklahoma Museum Association to the National Endowment for the Arts. She has worked on projects including the Oklahoma Museum of African American Culture and the Museum of the Cherokee Strip in Oklahoma City.

Lighting by Design
Light can damage or enhance an environment or works of art. A primary objective of Lighting by Design, a minority owned and operated business, is to help preserve works of art for future generations by practicing state-of- the-art lighting techniques. Owner Alfred Walker opened Lighting by Design in 1983 and has trained at places like the Smithsonian Institution and The Institute at Nela Park. His work includes the Meadows Museum and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History projects. 

You can donate online or by mail.

DONATE ONLINE HERE

All mailed contributions should go to:

Foundation for Arkansas Heritage and History (FAHH)
Attn: Elaine Lienhart
1 Capitol Mall, Suite 3B
Little Rock, AR 72201

In the memo line:
MTCC 140/15 Fundraiser

Does your employer make matching gifts? If so, please make sure to notify them so that the matching gift can submitted as well! 

 

 

To implement this update, we need to raise $3.5 million so we can begin construction on the new space. Our capital campaign entitled “Innovate. Collaborate. Renovate.” focuses on the idea that the African American experience is woven into the fabric of past, present and future Arkansas. The exhibit renovation will result in a space where audiences are engaged, Arkansas history and culture is explored, awareness of African American stories and achievements in Arkansas is increased, visitors move from awareness to action and MTCC is established as an intergenerational institution. Additionally, the museum will implement partnerships, temporary exhibits, solicit new collections and create educational programming to accomplish these goals. 
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