Media Coverage

The Arts Council believes that investing in arts and culture will uplift the entire Rockford region by telling Rockford’s many stories.

The Arts Council consulted with Lord Cultural Resources whose mission statement is ‘making the world a better place through culture’, and that starts from within their team. We’ve had the honor of working with a powerhouse team from Lord. They’ve impressed city officials, community leaders, and Rockford Region residents with their knowledge of Rockford’s history and their Rockford current events proficiency — I hear about regional wins from the Lord team before they hit our media’s websites.

As a key partner in building The LP’s 2024 Strategic Vision, Tiffany Lyons at Lord Cultural Resources (@lordculturalresources) offered an insightful reflection on what authentic collaboration means at The LP. ⁠
🔊Turn on your sound to hear Tiffany say it loud! Stay tuned for more community reflections on The LP’s organizational vision and strategy that will guide us into the future over the next 3 to 5 years! If you haven’t already, read our Strategic Vision via the link in our bio and learn more about our mission to transform individuals and communities through the arts! ⁠

Revelations about the true identities of prominent Indigenous figures in Canada have sparked anger and disappointment in Indigenous communities, igniting discussions about "pretendianism." In response, playwright January Rogers addresses this issue in her satirical play "Blood Sport," which explores Indigenous identity through humor and a game-show scenario. Following the play, a panel discussion featuring experts, including Tim Johnson from Lord Cultural Resources, will delve deeper into the subject. Read more about how this play confronts the complexities of Indigenous identity and the impact of false claims.

In Almaty, representatives of the intelligentsia visited the construction site of the Almaty Museum of Arts, the first modern art museum in Central Asia, founded by collector and philanthropist Nurlan Smagulov. The museum, designed by the British Architecture Bureau and planned by Lord Cultural Resources, aims to create a new cultural space recognized globally. Featuring works by renowned artists like Richard Serra and Yayoi Kusama, the museum's opening is scheduled for mid-2025. Discover more about this exciting cultural development and the vision behind it.

Lord Cultural Resources has been honoured to participate in the planning of the Almaty Museum of Arts, our fourth project in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Since our founding in 1981, our company has undertaken more than 2,800 museum and cultural planning projects in more than 60 countries, and we are very excited to see this next chapter in the development of this important and prestigious arts and culture destination in Astana.

Explore how The Center for Black Excellence and Culture in Madison is set to transform the lives of Black residents across Wisconsin. Founded by Rev. Dr. Alex Gee, this pioneering facility aims to provide a vital sense of cultural reinforcement and belonging. With insights from years of community conversations and the expertise of Lord Cultural Resources, this center promises to be a beacon of Black-led innovation and artistic expression. Discover why Dr. Gee believes this initiative is crucial for retaining talent and fostering a deeper sense of identity among Black Wisconsinites. Dive into the full article to learn more about this groundbreaking project and its vision for the future.

Blooloop

Lord Cultural Resources, the global cultural professional practice, has announced the release of a new edition of the Manual of Museum Management for Museums in Dynamic Change by Lord co-founder and renowned museum planner Gail Dexter Lord. 

The Economist

"It's almost a moral duty that museums should be free,” said Glenn Lowry, director of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). That was in 2002, when a ticket to MoMA cost $12 (around $19 in today’s prices). In October MoMA started charging $30, the latest in a series of price rises.

Ticket fees may seem high, particularly in destination cities where tourists are not likely to be dissuaded by spending a few more dollars. But “whatever museums charge, it is not covering their operating costs,” says Javier Jimenez, a director at Lord Cultural Resources, a consulting firm.

By Brad King, Vice President Lord Cultural Resources

The title of this article is the first line of the introduction to my New Directions for University Museums, an edited volume just published by Rowman and Littlefield. And it’s true. Wherever you look, university museums are pioneering new ways to interpret collections, to use objects as teaching tools or to deliver innovative programs to engage the communities in which they are located. In former times, many were small, niche organizations, unknown to but a few: today they are more relevant than ever.

When it comes to art and culture, some of Rockford's strengths are its diversity, its parks, its architecture and proximity to Chicago and Milwaukee.

Its weaknesses are low public awareness of the city's art scene, inadequate transportation, not enough affordable housing to draw more artists to the area and gaps in arts education particularly at the grade school level.

Those were some of the key findings of the developing Rockford Region Cultural Plan, shared Wednesday evening with about 140 people during the Rockford Area Arts Council's State of Culture event held at Veterans Memorial Hall.

"We want people in Rockford to see themselves and their communities in this plan," said Eve Moros Ortega, director of Lord Cultural Resources, the global cultural consulting firm preparing the plan's report. "I think that's the biggest thing because we really want people to understand — why arts and culture are of a benefit and why we're investing time and money in this."

ROCKFORD — The Rockford region can do more to strengthen awareness about local arts and culture. It can also use the arts to bolster neighborhood development.
Those are two of the recommendations laid out in a State of Culture report presented to about 80 people Wednesday at Veterans Memorial Hall. The report is a check-point of sorts in the development of the Rockford Region Cultural Plan, a process that started earlier this year to develop priorities to support arts and culture in the region.
“People want an identity for their neighborhood. They want a sense of place. They want to feel proud of where they live, and I really do believe that arts are the vehicle for that,” said Mary McNamara Bernsten, executive director of the Rockford Area Arts Council, which is working with the consulting firm Lord Cultural Resources to develop the plan.
“We recognize these opportunities as the jumping off point,” said Tiffany Lyons, a senior consultant with Lord Cultural Resources. “What we’re really looking for is that community buy-in. It is not just the (Rockford Area Arts Council) that’s going to be implementing this plan.”