The Chrysler Museum of Art has been awarded a $40,000 Art Works planning grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The grant will support the upcoming exhibition Jefferson and Palladio: Designing Young America.  Scheduled to open in October 2019, the traveling exhibition will be the first in the United States to tell the story of how Thomas Jefferson adapted the architectural ideals and values of Andrea Palladio to the needs of the young republic and its new social order.

“The Chrysler Museum is fortunate to receive this competitive grant that will allow us to partner with Museo Palladio to bring the multimedia exhibition to the Chrysler Museum. We see evidence of Thomas Jefferson’s influence in the architecture throughout our region, and we are excited to share the history and influence of these designs with our visitors. The exhibition will also allow the Chrysler Museum to present important elements of Virginia’s history. We are honored to be supported by the NEA in this endeavor,” said Museum Director Erik Neil.

The exhibition will feature more than 20 new architectural models of Jefferson and Palladio’s buildings created by the Museo Palladio, as well as prints, paintings, furniture and books from Jefferson’s library. It will also include drawings by Jefferson and Palladio; design objects reflecting the taste for Neoclassicism and the workmanship of enslaved craftsmen; and photography, video and digital elements.

The NEA has approved more than $25 million in grants as part of its first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2018. 

“It is energizing to see the impact that the arts are making throughout the United States. These NEA-supported projects, such as this one to the Chrysler Museum of Art, are good examples of how the arts build stronger and more vibrant communities, improve well-being, prepare our children to succeed and increase the quality of our lives,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “At the National Endowment for the Arts, we believe that all people should have access to the joy, opportunities and connections the arts bring.”

The Art Works category is the NEA’s largest funding category and supports projects that focus on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence. The category also funds projects that promote public engagement with diverse and excellent art, encourage lifelong learning in the arts and strengthen the community through the arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.