Mission
The Worcester Art Museum's mission is to connect people, communities, and cultures through the experience of art.
We fulfill our mission by:
- Making art central to the life of our evolving city, communities, and beyond
- Collecting, preserving, exhibiting, and interpreting global art
- Inspiring diverse audiences through art and art-making
- Ensuring an inviting and accessible visitor experience
- Attracting, developing, and retaining talented and diverse staff and volunteers
- Supporting innovative scholarship and intellectual exchange
- Achieving organizational sustainability
Vision
By 2027, the Worcester Art Museum will be even more relevant to the experience of our city. Our revitalized campus and increased digital presence will welcome more visitors from near and far. Our collections, exhibitions, and programs will inspire in new ways, connecting the local and the global in all of their diversity. Our expanding community, staff, and volunteers will feel proud of the museum as inclusive and innovative.
Values
We embrace:
- Transformation. We believe art has the power to change lives.
- Inclusion. We succeed when everyone feels welcome and experiences belonging.
- Engagement. We listen to our communities to support meaningful experiences.
- Collaboration. We find strength in diversity and partnerships.
- Innovation. We champion shared learning and new ideas.
- Integrity. We are guided by ethical principles and accountability.
Download WAM's Strategic Plan 2022-2027 (PDF 112KB)
The Worcester Art Museum is deeply saddened by the traumatic violence in Atlanta that took the lives of eight individuals, six of whom were Asian and Asian American women. Our hearts are with all who were impacted, and especially the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in Atlanta, across the country, and here at home in Worcester. These events occur for the AAPI community against the painful backdrop of frequent racist and sexist attacks, especially toward women, and increased incidents of discrimination and violence throughout the pandemic. As an organization, we believe it is our responsibility to condemn acts of hate, and to continue to affirm our work to become more diverse, equitable, accessible, and inclusive--for this work is not the burden of few, but must be carried by us all.
As part of our conversations over the past few days, we connected with a member of our community, Anh Vu Sawyer, Executive Director of the Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts and WAM Corporator, who shared these healing words: “We will continue to love and move forward.”
March 21, 2021
The Worcester Art Museum Board, Corporators, Volunteers, and Staff are saddened and outraged by the killing of George Floyd and so many other people of color before him. Our hearts are with George Floyd’s family, all who experience racism, and those who have lost a loved one due to racially-motivated violence.
The Worcester Art Museum’s mission is to connect people, communities, and cultures through the experience of art. We cannot fulfill our mission without acknowledging the harm and pain people of color have endured due to racism in the past and today. We embrace and celebrate art of all cultures and people, and will continue to work to be the most diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization possible, because events like the killing of George Floyd remind us that our work is far from done.
June 3, 2020
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