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Contacts:

Kate Yglesias Houghton kateh@lmfa.org 903-753-8103

Kate Gronewald Day, MBA, KateDay@letu.edu 903-233-3291

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LMFA, LeTourneau Marketing Students Partner To Hear From the Next Generation of Art Enthusiasts

LONGVIEW, TEXAS, MAY 3, 2022 – The Longview Museum of Fine Arts (LMFA) has partnered with marketing and entrepreneurship students at the School of Business at LeTourneau University (LETU) to learn more about how Americans born after 1997, also known as Generation Z, participate in the arts.

According to the National Endowment for the Arts, nearly 3 out of 4 Americans use electronic media to access artistic or arts-related content. Generation Z is the first generation to grow up with complete access to the internet and social media. They are also the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in American history which can provide unique insight into how LMFA can continue to bring culturally and historically significant works to East Texas.

Marketing students, under the direction of Dr. M. Isabella Cavalcanti Junqueira, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Marketing at the LeTourneau School of Business, will be conducting in-person and online surveys to hear directly from this population. Questions will seek to better understand the preferences of the next generation of art enthusiasts from the virtual platforms they are most likely to engage with as well as the types of interactive components they would like to see inside the new museum.

LMFA is in a unique position to listen and implement the results of LeTourneau’s research. In 2021, the LMFA Board of Trustees purchased a more centrally located and architecturally superior building in the heart of downtown Longview which will become the new home of LMFA in 2024. LMFA is equally focused on preserving the Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern architectural elements of the Fredonia Street building while making necessary structural, aesthetic, and environmental improvements to attract modern visitors.

“Not only do we have an opportunity to restore a historically significant landmark, but LMFA can be a catalyst that strengthens the bond between generations and helps the City of Longview become well-known as a place that fosters beauty, creativity, and the arts,” said Tiffany Nolan Jehorek, Executive Director and Curator of Exhibitions at the Longview Museum of Fine Arts.

“The Business School at LeTourneau and I believe that academic experiences should be complemented by significant practical experiences and engagement with the Longview community,” said Dr. Cavalcanti Junqueira. “This recent experience is especially valuable. The students interacted with the committed LMFA professionals and explored the museum’s excellent collections and exhibits. We hope that our market research will be insightful and benefit the overall goals of LMFA.”

Student researcher Andrew Bequette (Class of 2022) expressed, “I was thrilled with the opportunity to work on this collaboration between the LMFA and the Business School at Letourneau. Through our research project, I became more knowledgeable, and my appreciation for LMFA grew as I learned about its offerings to the community and beyond. I look forward to seeing the growth and success of the LMFA.”

The Longview Museum of Fine Arts is the premier art museum in East Texas engaging diverse audiences in person and online. In 1958, the Junior League of Longview began conducting annual art invitational competitions and purchasing the winning pieces from each invitational. The museum received its official charter in 1972 with 58 paintings acquired by the League. Today, LMFA’s collection has expanded to nearly 1,000 pieces and also includes early Texas regional art from the 1930s and 1970s alongside internationally established artists such as Dali, Warhol and Picasso and emerging contemporary talents.

Images are included after this release. Learn more at LMFA.org or follow the museum on Facebook and Instagram @lmfatx. LETU can be found @myletu on Facebook and @letourneauuniversity on Instagram.

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