Baltimore Museum of Art will only buy work by female artists in 2020

The Baltimore Museum of Art announced that in the upcoming year it will only purchase art made by women.

CNN reports the museum’s plan, called the 2020 Vision initiative, will feature at least 20 different exhibitions showcasing work from a diverse range of women.

{mosads}”I would say the 2020 Vision is just an extension of a code of ethics that has been deeply embedded within the museum,” Christopher Bedford, the museum’s director, told CNN. “Building a permanent collection is building a story for all time.”

He added that the plan has been in the works for more than two years.

CNN notes that the plan was made under the direction of female leaders who are in place throughout the museum. The board of trustees is chaired by Clair Zamoiski Segal, and Asma Naeem is the chief curator.

The museum’s budget for acquisitions for next year is about $2 million.

Elissa Blount Moorhead will be one of the female artists featured as part of the initiative and said the plan will hopefully bring renewed interest in the importance of museums.  

“I’m hoping that all of us can start to think about how patriarchy and hierarchy has really diminished people’s interest in museums and cultural centers,” Moorhead told CNN. “This will enliven your audience. It’s just the right thing to do.”