Fix up, Spruce up Campaign
Associated with the Grand Avenue Festival, the Trolley Museum undertook a short but strong effort to clean up and spruce up the exterior and interior of the museum in time for the big event. Jim McPherson headed up the exterior effort, with a helpful assist from board members and Boy Scout Troop 426. Michelle Reid of Museum Pros made a big impact on the interior with a total revamp of the exhibit space.
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Received Arizona Historical Society Grants for Collections Management
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For the second year in a row, the PTM received a grant from the Arizona Historical Society to inventory and arrange museum materials after the move from Hance Park, under the direction of Will Keller.
Completed Exhibit with Heard Museum and Arizona State Capitol Museum
This project was loooong in the planning
and execution stage and well worth the
wait. Capitalizing on the link between the
rolley and the development of the
territorial capitol of Arizona, a partnership
with the Heard Museum, Arizona State
Capitol Museum, and the Phoenix Trolley
Museum led to the creation of an exhibit about the trolley at the Arizona State
Capitol. Thanks to Heard Museum
Mellon Fellow Velma Craig and
PTM graphic designer Mike
Swaine who helped make
this happen.
Awarded Arizona Humanities Council Grant for Trolley Riders History Video
Rebounding from a rejection of our application last year, the Museum re-applied and received a grant this year to interview Phoenix residents who remember riding on the trolley “back in the day.” Kudos go to Matt Jewett and Gail Fleming.
Mural, Murals on the Wall
Scenario
Planning
Fundraising
Vintage VW Show at the Grand Avenue Festival
For the second year, PTM participated in the Grand Avenue Festival. Last year, it was the Trolley Follies talent show and beer garden. This year, we had an influx of vintage Volkswagens take over the yard at the Trolley Museum. Thanks to Jesus Aguilera and Bill Gilmore who headed this project.
Another long desire of the trolley folk is to have a mural on the wall at the new museum on Grand Avenue. The goal is to draw attention to the museum as a way-finding element. Thanks again to Dean Isaac, this time for producing the “call for artists” through ArtLink that identified Lucretia Torva as artist in residence. This project will be completed when the museum opens for the Fall season.
Trolleys rarely stand still unless they are in the barn so change is a constant in our realm. This includes periodic updates to our planning documents. Thanks to Dean Isaac for staying ontop of all our planning efforts, including the creation of several possible future scenarios organization. These were the subject of a visioning session at the 2020 annual meeting, facilitated by Michelle Reid of Museum Pros.
A museum is only as good as its funders and this past year we had good success. Terry Levitan brought in a major donation. A couple of yard sales kept the organization going. Social media was our friend, with Giving Tuesday on Facebook and Arizona Gives Day