The Salina Art Center has successfully achieved reaccreditation from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), earning the highest national recognition available to museums across the United States. This prestigious designation represents excellence within the museum community and serves as a mark of quality for governments, funding organizations, external agencies, and the general public who visit museums.
The Salina Art Center has maintained its accredited status since 1991, demonstrating decades of commitment to professional excellence. Under AAM requirements, all accredited museums must undergo a comprehensive reaccreditation review at least every ten years to maintain their prestigious status. This rigorous process ensures that institutions continue to meet the highest standards of operation and public service.
AAM accreditation brings national recognition to museums that demonstrate unwavering commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards, and continuous institutional improvement. The Alliance's museum accreditation program has been developed and maintained by museum professionals for more than fifty years, serving as the field's primary mechanism for quality assurance, self-regulation, and public accountability. This program strengthens the entire museum profession by promoting best practices that enable leadership teams to make well-informed decisions, allocate resources effectively, and remain financially and ethically responsible while providing exceptional service to the public.
"Reaccreditation from the American Alliance of Museums is a tremendous honor and a testament to the dedication of our staff, board, and community," said Misty Serene, Executive Director of Salina Art Center. "As a non-collecting art museum, we are constantly evolving and responding to artists, ideas, and the needs of our region. This process affirmed the strength of our programs, our educational impact, and our commitment to creating meaningful experiences for every visitor."
Serene emphasized that accreditation strengthens the center's ability to bring innovative exhibitions and learning opportunities to Salina while ensuring continued operation at the highest level of professional standards. The achievement places the Salina Art Center among an elite group of cultural institutions nationwide.
Of the estimated 33,000 museums operating throughout the United States, only approximately 1,100 currently hold accredited status from the American Alliance of Museums. The Salina Art Center stands as one of just eleven accredited museums in the entire state of Kansas, highlighting the exceptional nature of this achievement.
The accreditation process itself is exceptionally rigorous but highly rewarding, examining every aspect of a museum's operations in comprehensive detail. To earn accreditation, museums must first conduct an intensive year-long self-study process, followed by an on-site evaluation conducted by a team of peer reviewers who are experts in the field. The AAM's Accreditation Commission, which operates as an independent and autonomous body comprised of museum professionals, carefully reviews both the self-study documentation and the visiting committee's report before making the final determination on whether to grant accreditation status.
"Accreditation is a monumental achievement," stated Marilyn Jackson, President and CEO of the American Alliance of Museums. "The process demonstrates an institution's commitment to best practice and is flexible enough to be accomplished by museums of any size." This flexibility ensures that both large and small institutions can pursue and achieve this prestigious recognition.
Founded in 1978, the Salina Art Center operates as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to creating meaningful exchanges among art, artists, and audiences that reveal life in all its complexity. The Art Center's facilities include multiple galleries, the Art Center Cinema, and the Warehouse, all strategically located in the heart of downtown Salina, Kansas. The organization's mission focuses on engaging people in art experiences that offer quality, relevance, and significance to the global community.
The Art Center's success depends heavily on the support of artists, educators, and community members who share a vision of creating a center that engages people in transformative art experiences. The organization extends heartfelt gratitude to its patrons, sustainers, advocates, and benefactors for their generous support, which makes the center's mission possible.
Funding for the Salina Art Center comes from multiple sources, including sponsorship from the State of Kansas through the Kansas Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additionally, the center's exhibitions and programs receive crucial support from individual donors, members, corporate underwriters, various foundations, and the City of Salina, creating a comprehensive network of support that enables the institution to maintain its high standards and continue serving the community.
