Description
The Carnegie Art Museum owned and operated as a non- profit museum the City of Oxnard since 1987. This was Oxnard's first Public Library site, it was built in 1906 as one of the free public libraries funded by the industrial Andrew Carnegie. In the 1960's the Library moved several blocks to a bigger facility. The gracious building was used for a variety of purposes including a Chamber of Commerce before it became a Cultural Arts Center in the 1980's. It wasn't until 1987, due to the growing importance of its permanent art collection, the Carnegie was designated by the City as an Art Museum.
In order to enhance the Museum's services, the auxiliary fund rasing group, the Carnegie Art Museum Cornerstones, was incorporated in January 1998 and received its 507(c) 3 designation from the Internal Revenue Service. Headed by volunteers and business leaders from around the county, the CAM Cornerstones helps the Carnegie be a major resource in Ventura County for arts education and exhibition through grant writing, museum membership, fund raising and events. The non-profit group is a mainstay of the Museum's strong education programs for all ages.
On June 22, 2009 the Carnegie Art Museum Cornerstones Board of Directors achieved the long standing goal to foster the development of the Museum's governance in order to advance future programming and financial sustainability. A contract relationship with the City, which continues to retain museum ownership, was unanimously supported by the City Council. This significant change presents unlimited opportunities to expand the Museum's educational mission and enhance cultural offerings and artistic resource for the Oxnard and greater Ventura County community.
