December 2020

ITC Newsletter Update | December 2020

We’re Living History: Docent Video Project

As we close out 2020, the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures would like to share updates on the progress being made while doors have been temporarily closed to the public during the pandemic.

First, we’re proud to debut our new video project “We’re Living History!” The series of videos will highlight our wonderful docents, who we miss seeing on a daily basis. We hope to share many of their rich stories about the museum, and we will catch you up on what they’ve been doing as we primarily work remotely.

Our first video features Frank Woolf who has been a docent for 18 years!

Building Cleanup Project Update

In October, a clean-up project was initiated in order to catalog, organize and assess the many items stored in the building, including old furniture, outdated electronics, tech gear and computers, and other goods.

Project updates include:

• Phase 1 is about halfway complete: ITC staff and UTSA facilities have cleared out the third-floor collections room to make way for maintenance and other needs, including patching holes and deep cleaning of the area.
• Phase 2 will initiate early spring: We will be going out to bid for help in decluttering the spaces on the first floor, where most of the surplus furniture and equipment is housed. An archivist from the UTSA Libraries will aid in cataloging items.

Meet the newest members of the ITC team

Project updates

• Sharecropper Cabin Virtual Exhibit: A grant from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission has funded the creation of a digital component of the sharecropper cabin exhibit on display in the African American area of the museum. The team is using the funds to develop a virtual tour that will complement and enhance the physical exhibit. The tour will include interactive views of household artifacts plus photos and oral history files from people who have experienced life in the cabin. The research team has been utilizing ITC archives to develop content for the tour which will be accessible to audiences of all ages, including teachers and K-12 students.
• A History of Music in San Antonio: UTSA College of Liberal and Fine Arts faculty, Libraries and ITC staff are collaborating on an exciting new interdisciplinary, engaging multimedia project of the artists, genres and styles of music in San Antonio. Dr. Stan Renard and Dr. Mark Brill, both of the UTSA department of music, and William Glenn of the UTSA Libraries will produce a book that encompasses all the relevant facets of the city’s musical culture, from art to folk to popular traditions and their various manifestations throughout the different cultures in San Antonio. The ITC will provide opportunities to host community events, lessons, curriculum for students and potential future exhibits based on the research. More details to come as the project progresses.

Happy Holidays
from the staff at ITC!