The mission statement of the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts includes the establishment of a permanent collection of art. To this end the museum has been acquiring objects for the collection since 1991 through gifts, bequests and purchases. As of July 2005 the Permanent Collection includes 276 objects, of which 191 are ceramic, 54 are paintings or works on paper, 10 sculpture, 12 textile and 9 glass.

In addition to the permanent collection the museum maintains a Study Collection which is subdivided into 2 groups: Study/Reserve and Study/Education. The Study/Reserve Collection includes those objects needing further consideration before putting them into the permanent collection. These art objects are basically put on hold and reviewed again at a later date. The Study/Education Collection includes those objects which are used for educational purposes and are often utilized by school groups or put on display in libraries of nearby communities. There are a total of 70 objects in the Study/Reserve Collection and 25 in the Study/Education Collection.

In building its collection the museum set forth in the Collections Policy areas of focused interest that the museum would pursue. In order of priority these include: (1) the work of Texas artists with emphasis on works created since 1945. This can include the work of artists of all eras from San Angelo and the 14 county region immediately around San Angelo including Tom Green County; (2) American Crafts since 1945 with emphasis on ceramics; (3) American painting and sculpture of all eras, including works by leading artists that depict scenes of San Angelo and the immediate region as defined above; (4) Mexican and Mexican-American Art of all eras, especially examples that contribute to a better understanding of the artistic and cultural heritage of our region; (5) Significant examples of European, Asian, and African art will be considered on their individual merit if offered as gifts.

The museum

Main archival holding is for the Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team (R/UDAT) study that was done in February 1992 to initiate a Master Plan for San Angelo s Historic City Center.

The museum is deeply committed to its Art Education Program, which serves both children and adults. There is no other art museum within the 14 county region, and no other organization offering an active art education program. The programs use museum study collections and changing exhibits to instruct audiences about art history, art process, and regional cultural history. The Director and the Board are committed to developing a program that serves the needs of our audience and is a model to other programs that serve rural areas.

Due to educational reform in Texas and the limited resources of our school district, public school art is severely limited. Some rural districts cannot fulfill state requirements. The museum's program helps the museum and the schools, and integration of curriculum so that the museum's program is compatible with the state's "Essential Element Requirements." The Education Program is at the core of the museum's endeavors. A major component of the program serves the San Angelo Independent School District. Educational services to 25 school districts in the museum's 14 county region of service are gradually being developed.

Every Thursday the Art Museum hosts Art Thursdays. Parents and their children throughout the Concho Valley can come to the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts anytime between 2 - 6 pm on Thursdays to experience 4 hands-on art activities. We encourage parents and children to work together on all the projects.

The museum also offers numerous on-demand programs for the San Angelo Independent School District, such as in-service training for social studies and art teachers.

The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts also provides school group tours for 5,000-8,000 students from San Angelo and the outlying area annually.

The museum has developed and maintains a relationship with several public libraries in the outlying region. This program consists of lending selected artworks to these libraries and providing programming and presentations related to the works on exhibit.

The Summer for Kids program, runs from June-August, and includes 60+ classes, field trips, and activities for over 500 children, 4-12 years old. Certified teachers, artists, and museum staff teach a wide variety of classes. Our Summer For Kids programs have included special classes for dyslexic children and a program for children from the West Texas Rehabilitation Center.

The museum's Adult Programs include tours, a chamber music series, guest lectures, as well as gallery talks and demonstrations by artists. There are also regularly scheduled workshops for adults held throughout the year.

There are 8-10 Adult Continuing Education classes held at the museum in association with Angelo State University.

The museum offers Family Day two times a year, each one with a different theme. This program is completely free and designed to entertain and educate children and their families about the joys of making art. There is also an opportunity for the whole family to visit the museum and enjoy the exhibits without charge. This program draws 400-600 visitors to each event.

The museum has recently instituted a program with the Boys and Girls Club. This after school program meets three times a week and provides art instruction and programming to 50+ children.

The MHMR offers a ½ day art program for mentally handicapped adults twice weekly at the museum. The Art Museum has collaborated with the Adult Literacy Council to bring art to ESL students and students pursuing their GED. The program, Art as a Third Language, brings art projects to the Adult Literacy Council for those students to experience and learn about art and the Art Museum.

The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, the San Angelo Symphony, the San Angelo Civic Ballet and the San Angelo Nature Center come together to bring an exciting spring break program to children from the ages of kindergarten thru 5th grade. For a small fee, the kids get to experience four fantastic arts organizations in San Angelo.

The museum hosts many activities year round. The Concho Valley's only locally produced cooking show, "Let's Eat", is held inside the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts. This is a wonderful combination of culinary and fine arts. This program is held several times during each year and draws 60 - 100 people each taping. Tea Dances are new program that have been initiated and are also enjoyed by many San Angeloans. Tea Dances which include big band and other music, light refreshments, and dancing if you choose, are a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. This program brings 80 - 100 people each time. The museum successfully hosts a Chamber Music Series every year which includes about eight performances. This is a great way to listen to some of the best artists around. This program brings between 80 - 150 people each time. Some other adult programs include gallery talks, lectures, hands-on workshops, etc. The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts is constantly creating new programs for the public to enjoy, such as Café des Artistes. This new program allows the audience to enjoy a happy hour celebration, while viewing the exhibit currently on display in the evening hours. For a fee, the meeting room can be rented out to organizations or individual parties.

The museum has a gift shop that is modest in size, income producing, and contains local artists' merchandise in addition to exhibit specific merchandise and year round best-sellers. The museum also has a library that is a non-lending research library available to the public. It was funded by a grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation. Special events rental for non-profit organizations are gratis. For a fee, the meeting room can be rented out to commercial groups and private parties.

Quarterly Newsletter, The Compadre; Annual San Angelo National Ceramic Competition Catalogue, Educator's Quarterly Newsletter, The Brush.