National Comedy Center Inc

NATIONAL COMEDY CENTER

DISCOVERING LUCY AND DESI: PRODUCING INTERPRETIVE CONTENT ON THE FIRST COUPLE OF COMEDY [THE LUCY DESI MUSEUM (UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE NATIONAL COMEDY CENTER) IS READY TO MOVE INTO THE PRODUCTION PHASE TO CREATE DIGITAL DISCOVERY PORTALS (READ: PHYSICAL, COMPUTER-POWERED KIOSKS) THAT RUN CUSTOM INTERACTIVE EXHIBITION SOFTWARE DESIGNED BY THE CENTER. THESE DIGITAL PORTALS WILL BE LOCATED WITHIN THE MUSEUM AND WILL OFFER A DEEPER DIVE INTO INTERPRETIVE CONTENT THAT COMPLEMENT THE EXHIBITION. THESE PORTALS WILL INCLUDE MORE THAN 3,000 ITEMS FROM THE COLLECTION AND WILL BE PAIRED WITH A MULTI-VOCAL NARRATIVE TO ENRICH THE INTERPRETIVE CONTENT BEING PRESENTED. FURTHERMORE, THE PORTALS WILL BE DEVELOPED TO EMPOWER VISITORS TO UNCOVER NEW STORIES AND POINTS OF CONNECTION TO THE LUCY DESI LEGACY.]

THE LUCILLE BALL DESI ARNAZ MUSEUM WILL INVENTORY, REHOUSE, AND DIGITALLY CATALOGUE APPROXIMATELY 4,500 OBJECTS THAT CHRONICLE THE LIVES AND CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF AMERICAN ENTERTAINERS LUCILLE BALL AND DESI ARNAZ. SPANNING NINE DECADES, THE COLLECTION HOLDS PHOTOGRAPHS, CREATIVE PAPERS, AUDIOVISUAL RECORDINGS, SCREEN-USED WARDROBE, AND PERSONAL EFFECTS OF THE COMEDIANS. IN STEWARDING THE COLLECTION, THIS PROJECT WILL AID IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS AS WELL AS INCREASE ACCESS TO THE COLLECTION FOR STAFF, MUSEUM PATRONS, STUDENTS, RESEARCHERS, AND THE PUBLIC TO FOSTER AN APPRECIATION FOR THE HISTORY AND CRAFT OF COMEDY.

CONSERVING THE ARCHIVES OF LUCILLE BALL AND DESI ARNAZ: ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING EQUIPMENT AND LIGHTING INFRASTRUCTURE [THE PROJECT THIS GRANT WOULD SUPPORT CONSISTS OF: 1) THE PURCHASE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SUPPLIES (INCLUDING ASSOCIATED SOFTWARE, SUPPORT, AND TRAINING) FOR BOTH MUSEUM GALLERIES AND STORAGE FACILITIES, AS WELL AS 2) THE PURCHASE OF UPDATED LIGHTING INFRASTRUCTURE TO IMPROVE GALLERY AND STORAGE ENVIRONMENTS FOR ARTIFACTS. THIS MAJOR CONSERVATION INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD COMPLY WITH RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY EXPERT COLLECTIONS ASSESSORS IN A COLLECTIONS ASSESSMENT FOR PRESERVATION (CAP) SURVEY REPORT, FUNDED THROUGH IMLS, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED MARCH 7-8, 2023. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND UPDATED LIGHTING ARE THE TWO PARALLEL CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE OF HIGHEST IMPORTANCE ACCORDING TO THE EXPERT ASSESSORS.]