The mattie rhodes memorial society will digitize and preserve the hand-in-hand folk art collection which includes over 1,000 pieces of sculpture, ceramics, toys, dolls, masks, and textiles

The Mattie Rhodes Memorial Society received a $404,517 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the Museum Grants for American Latino History and Culture program (CFDA 45.033) effective October 1, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2028. The award supports the digitization, preservation, and public engagement of the Hand-in-Hand folk art collection, comprising over 1,000 pieces including sculpture, ceramics, toys, dolls, masks, and textiles. The project will employ a full-time Community Education Coordinator and Archivist to create a comprehensive digital catalog, coordinate conservation work with a professional art conservator, and develop and deliver educational programming to the public.

The deliverables include a digitized catalog of the entire collection, conserved and rehoused collection items, exhibitions featuring pieces both in-house and at community partner sites, and an updated curriculum for all ages designed around the collection using best practices in arts education. As a community-based Latino visual arts organization serving Kansas City, Missouri, Mattie Rhodes Center will advance the ALHC program's dual objectives of building organizational capacity within American Latino cultural institutions and advancing professional workforce development in the field.

This project will support a full-time community education coordinator and archivist who will create a digital catalog of the collection, work with an art conservator to rehouse and care for collections items and deliver educational programming to the public related to the collection. The project will result in a digitized catalog of the collection, preserved pieces within the collection, exhibits featuring the pieces in-house and at partner sites in the community, and an updated curriculum for all ages to complement the collection utilizing best practices in arts education.