The NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale received a $25,000 donation from the Spirit Charitable Foundation to fund Museum on the Move. This education program helps Broward County students visit the museum. The donation, which is the first and the most significant gift Nova Southeastern University has received from Spirit Airlines, will reach approximately 3,000 students in Broward County. These students, primarily from Title I schools and summer camps in marginalized communities, will be able to participate in the free, in-person art enrichment program from June 2022 to May 2023. The funds will also allow for the continuation of Museum on the Move field trips throughout the 2022-2023 school year.

“NSU Art Museum believes the arts play an integral role in the lives of young children as it can nurture skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, empathy and teamwork, among others,” Bonnie Clearwater says, Director and Chief Curator of NSU Art Museum. “We extend our sincerest appreciation to Spirit Airlines for this support of our Museum on the Move program, which will further our mission of making the arts accessible to all, regardless of income.”

Due to COVID restrictions, NSU Art Museum has been offering Museum on the Move virtually since March 2020 but recently resumed in-person field trips to the museum and free art workshops. The change has increased demand from Broward Summer Schools, Parks and Recreation departments, camps, and other nonprofit organizations serving youth from low-income families to enjoy in-person field trips to NSU Art Museum.

“We invest in organizations that have a meaningful impact on the lives of children and families, and we’re humbled to partner with NSU to support an exceptional program like Museum on the Move,” Lania Rittenhouse says, president of the Spirit Charitable Foundation and Vice President of Guest Experience & Brand for Spirit Airlines. “We believe increased engagement with the arts can provide children with a world of possibilities, and we’re proud to help create these experiences for so many students across Broward County.”

Museum on the Move is an educational program that aims to enhance learning and increase engagement with the arts by involving students in stimulating museum exhibitions and collections tours. It provides hands-on art activities based on principles of STEAM (science, technology, art, engineering, math) and 21st Century learning skills. The program offers tours of art exhibitions and corresponding art workshops conducted by the museum’s educators, which promote the benefits of artistic experimentation in the child’s well-being.