The Textile Curatorial Council was formed in 1982 to support and augment the programs of the Department of Textiles at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The council promotes individual and community-wide appreciation of the textile arts and also raises funds to purchase textiles for the museum’s collection.

Over the years, the council has sponsored many lectures and seminars on topics ranging from the historical and artistic significance of textiles to practical applications of textile design and techniques. Each year’s events have a broad theme highlighting a particular aspect of the museum's textile collection. Recently, council members have had an opportunity to learn more about tapestries, the art of embroidery, and the role of textiles in establishing cultural identity.

Benefits of Membership

• Free admission to all Textile Curatorial Council lectures
• Member discount on seminar fees
• Tour of an artist’s studio, for Sponsors, Patrons, and Benefactors
• Visit to a private collection, for Patrons and Benefactors
• Dinner with guest speakers, for Benefactors

Annual Membership Dues
September 1 to August 31

Membership dues, fund-raising activities, and gifts to the Textile Curatorial Council support the mission of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in a number of important ways. The council-sponsored lecture series augments the educational opportunities the museum offers to the general public. The council regularly contributes funds to purchase works of art, including pieces by Lenore Tawney, Tim Harding, Owen Jones, and Morgan Clifford, and objects representing cultures from the Huari of Peru to eighteenth-century France. The council also supports the work of contemporary textile artists and has commissioned work by Laura Foster Nicholson, Lissy Funk, and Mary Bero. Finally, the council supports the work of the Department of Textiles through the purchase of specialized equipment for both the conservation laboratory and the departmental office.

For more information, call the Department of Textiles at (612) 870-3047. The Textile Curatorial Council is open to all members of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

Image:
Tim Harding, Untitled, 1989, silk, cotton; layered, stitched, and cut fabric, Gift of funds from the Textile Council