Surpasses $125,000 goal, extends online campaign through Fall
By American Bazaar Staff
WASHINGTON, DC: The goal was to get $125,000 in just over a month. Come July 1 – the deadline for the crowd-funding campaign initiated by the Smithsonian – the total had reached $170,000, in support of the world’s first exhibition on yogic art.
Smithsonia now says that online donations will be open throughout the summer and fall to raise additional funds for the exhibition, ‘Yoga: The Art of Transformation,’ which opens on October 19th at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, and will run through January 26, 2014.
The 34-day crowd-funding campaign for the exhibition, titled ‘Together We’re One’ which according to a press release issued by the Smithsonian, , will reveal yoga’s fascinating meanings and history over the past 2,000 years, is the first ever major effort to garner funds directly through the public. From May 29th through July 1st, the initiative raised $129,000, and when extended to July 8th, it reached a whopping $170,000.
Going by the success of the initiative and the enthusiasm and philanthropy shown by the community, the institution is likely to go for public support for upcoming exhibitions as well.
According to the Smithsonian, funds raised will support the behind-the-scenes aspects of the exhibition-including shipping more than 130 artworks from around the world-as well as public lectures, concerts, hands-on workshops and yoga classes in the galleries. Contributions will also enable the production of an exhibition catalog-the first art book to explore yoga’s visual history-as well as videos and web materials. A digital version of the catalog will also be available for free online.
All donors to ‘Together We’re One’ are included on the museum’s first digital donor plaque, which was displayed in the museum lobby during the run of the campaign and is still viewable online. Donors also will receive preview access to the exhibition’s digital catalog.
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