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- Art in Bloom is a fundraising event held by art museums, combining fine art and floral design.
- The event includes community engagement activities and educational outreach programs.
- The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts’ Art in Bloom event takes place April 26-27, with additional activities throughout the weekend.
In the world of museums, fundraisers play a pivotal role in annual operational budgets, with proceeds used for sustaining programs, increasing access to exhibitions, conducting outreach efforts and preserving collections. These activities all cost money. One particular fundraising program has been especially popular and successful for art museums — and that is Art in Bloom,which has risen to national prominence for its unique ability to fuse fine art and floral design.
This year, the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts is holding its Art in Bloom this weekend: the preview party is Friday; the display of floral creations interpreting select works of art is open free to the public Saturday-Sunday, and additional ticketed activities for the whole family are also being held this weekend. To purchase tickets, go to: WCMFA.eventbrite.com.
Art in Bloom raises money for our museum in several ways: through sponsorships (which are acknowledged throughout the weekend, through ticket sales for our preview party and other events throughout the weekend, and through cash donations contributed by visitors throughout the weekend. While many museums charge admission to see the displays, here at Washington County Museum of Fine Arts we include them as part of our policy of free admission during regular hours.
Celebrated for its innovative approach to fundraising, this event combines the beauty of fine art with the transformative power of community engagement and support. Each year, fans of the event look forward to seeing the results of designers’ efforts. One reason those of us who work at the museum love Art in Bloom is because to appreciate the flowers, you also need to appreciate the art. It gets visitors involved in looking critically at formal aspects of artwork, such as line, color and composition, and often the designers surprise us with their ingenuity and inventive approach to interpreting an art work.
Art in Bloom began in 1976 at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Since then, the idea has spread to museums throughout the United States and Canada, including New Orleans, St. Louis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Hagerstown, where it was initiated in 2003. The Minneapolis Museum of Fine Art explains the event as, “ … containers of history brought to life with fresh flowers every year … a new way for viewers to engage with the collection … an unexpected yet ideal match.”
The fundraiser is typically held in the spring when nature itself comes into bloom, allowing for a synergistic theme between the flowering of plants and flowers in gardens and the “blooming” of creativity in the form of visual art. What began as a local fundraising initiative in Boston, which continues the annual tradition, has blossomed into a nationally recognized art museum rite of spring, garnering attention from art collectors, philanthropists, art enthusiasts and anyone with “spring fever.” The event serves as a reminder that art is not only confined to galleries and museums but is also something that can be felt, touched and experienced in all aspects of life.
The heart of the event
One of the defining features of Art in Bloom is its distinct fusion of fine art and floral design. Each year, renowned floral designers from across the region are invited to collaborate with artists, curators and museum staff to create dynamic installations that bring works of art to life through flowers. These floral arrangements are inspired by specific pieces of artwork within the museum’s collection or exhibitions, bridging the gap between visual art and organic design.
For museums, this collaboration represents an extraordinary opportunity to engage a wider audience with their collections. Visitors to the event can experience familiar paintings, sculptures, and other art in a new light as they encounter floral interpretations. The floral designs bring a fresh vibrancy to the works of art, making them appear alive, dynamic and interactive.
The floral displays are integrated throughout the museum, creating a cohesive and immersive atmosphere where art and nature come together seamlessly. Guests can walk through galleries filled with creative, floral interpretations of renowned masterpieces, with each arrangement inviting a deeper reflection on the original artwork.
Community engagement and educational outreach
One of the unique aspects of Art in Bloom is its commitment to community involvement. Local schools, youth organizations, and community groups are often invited to participate in the event, either through educational programming, hands-on workshops or volunteer opportunities. By engaging local communities, the fundraiser strengthens the relationship between the museum and the public, encouraging the next generation of art lovers, donors, and advocates. For example, events this year at our our museum include a floral demonstration, a “Family Flower Frenzy” afternoon of creative challenges and games for families looking to engage with art in a new and playful way; a “Flower Power Cocktail Hour” featuring elegant botanicals and a guided tasting of floral and herb-infused artisanal gin; and “Yoga in the Atrium”, topped off with a refreshing cup of hibiscus tea.
A vision for the future
As Art in Bloom continues to grow in stature and importance, its future is promising. The fundraiser has demonstrated that art, when combined with other creative disciplines such as floral design, can appeal to a wide range of people, while also raising critical funds for museums. Its expansion across the country has inspired other institutions to explore similar events and initiatives, solidifying its place as a model for cultural fundraisers nationwide.
Looking ahead, Art in Bloom may continue to evolve, incorporating new forms of art and design to stay relevant in an ever-changing cultural landscape. It’s likely that technology, digital art, and virtual experiences could also play a role in the future iterations of the event, allowing even more people to experience its magic, whether in person or virtually.
Ultimately, Art in Bloom represents the best of what cultural fundraising can offer: an innovative, accessible, and celebratory event that connects people with the arts, fosters creativity, and supports vital cultural institutions.
We are wrap up our Art in Bloom events at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts for this year, and are looking ahead to next year, as well as to our next museum fundraising event. In just a few weeks our annual Amazing Tablescapes event meets Frida Kahlo — as local designers create table settings in our atrium inspired by our upcoming exhibition, Frida Kahlo: Picturing an Icon. Tables will be on view at the museum June 10-12, with a fundraising dinner and exhibition opening planned for the evening of June 13.
We look forward to welcoming you for this year’s Art in Bloom, and then hope you’ll mark your calendars for both our 2025 Amazing Tablescapes event and our Art in Bloomnext year, already scheduled for April 24-26. To learn more about what we’re doing at the museum, sign up for the museum’s newsletter at www.wcmfa.org or call the museum for more information: (301) 739-5727.
Beth Smith is the Director of Development of the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts.
