The Art Institute of Chicago will be the recipient of a $500,000 grant from the government of India.
The Ministry of Finance for India announced they will sign an agreement with the Art Institute for the Vivekananda Memorial Program for Museum Excellence during a ceremony hosted by the museum on Saturday.
The grant honors Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda, who spoke in 1893 at the Art Institute during the World's Columbian Exposition. The Art Institute says it's the first U.S. museum to receive a grant from India.
The agreement outlines a four year program aimed towards fostering professional partnerships between the Art Institute and the museums in India through exchange programs. The Art Institute will send staff members to India for workshops, seminars, lectures and courses. In turn, The Art Institute will host fellowships in Chicago for Indian museum professionals.
The Art Institute's ceremony also included the unveiling of the Swami Vivekananda Memorial Plaque along with the inauguration of exhibitions of Tagore Paintings.
