St. Louis, MO, USA — The National Blues Museum has announced that it has been designated an official Affiliate of the GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE. As an affiliate, the National Blues Museum now has the opportunity to utilize the many technical and cultural facets of the GRAMMY Museum, including exhibitions, research and educational programs, internship programs for college students, and professional development seminars. “We are so thrilled to extend the resources of the GRAMMY Museum and its affiliates into St. Louis by welcoming the National Blues Museum into our GRAMMY Museum Affiliate family,” says Bob Santelli, Executive Director of the GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE. “As a music and blues historian myself, I am very excited about the opportunities that await us through our partnership with an institution that holds of high importance the historical significance of this genre of music.”
To date, only three other cultural exhibitions in the world — the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, Jamaica, The Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and The Beatles Story in Liverpool, England — have been named cultural affiliates. “We are honored that the GRAMMY Museum recognizes the cultural importance of the blues and that they are supporting our efforts to preserve the history and celebrate the music,” says Executive Director Dion Brown. “As an affiliate, we recognize that having access to their resources and opportunities can only improve upon what the National Blues Museum offers to the art and its guests.” Santelli and the entire GRAMMY Museum team were key advisors in helping plan the National Blues Museum since its inception phase, and will remain involved as the museum moves forward in mapping its growth and cultural outreach.
“We are excited to be a part of such a great, growing roster of affiliated museums,” says National Blues Museum board chair, Rob Endicott. “The relationship we have forged with the GRAMMY Museum has been key in helping to craft the vision and mission for the National Blues Museum. We are all looking forward to the amazing possibilities of what this relationship holds for the museum and the community.” There will be an official ceremony held at the National Blues Museum on Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at 10 a.m. At the ceremony, GRAMMY Museum Executive Director Bob Santelli will officially present the National Blues Museum with its affiliate plaque.