Pay it forward...

The venerable American Folk Art Museum in NYC needs help.

In a recent article in the New York Times, Maria Ann Conelli, director of the museum, has disclosed that the museum could no longer make payments on the $32 million it borrowed through a bond issue to finance the building. Part of the problem is that the museum hasn't realized attendance figures projected for it when the new building reopened.

But all is not lost. The museum has been cutting its budget with layoffs and other cost-cutting measures in recent years and this might be just the wake up call the museum (and the folk art community) needs. What may come out of it is a leaner, more efficient museum...The one thing to be sure of is the need for this national repository and educational center for American folk and outsider art. There simply aren't enough institutions devoted to it.

What can you do? Well, to start, if you're interested you can get an annual membership for only $30 here (58% off for a limited time!) or if you're in NYC, get a daily admission for $4.00 here!

Or, you can make a contribution to the museum's Annual Fund. If received by September 15th, your contribution will be matched dollar for dollar and it's 100% tax deductible. Click Here to pay it forward.

Just make sure it's real dollars, unlike the wonderful artworks above by J.S.G. Boggs.