Meeting minutes, 1976, 1979-1980

"Museums Collaborative, Inc. and the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Administration of New York City submit a proposal to test for the first time in this country, a cultural voucher program which would enable community-based groups to purchase a wide range of cultural services and programs from the city's established cultural institutions, including museums, zoos and botanic gardens.

Over a five year period, this program would enable community groups - settlement houses, drug rehabilitation centers, community arts and service groups, senior citizens and prisons - to use vouchers to purchase cultural services in two ways: (1) by purchasing already existing museum services such as memberships, admissions to exhibitions, seminars, workshops, lectures, classes, film-showings and concert series; and (2) by purchasing new programs, which would be jointly designed by the community-user group and a museum, to meet the particular needs of the purchasing community group."

Accessed 2024, Cultural Voucher Proposal.

Starting in 1975, Sophie Williams Johnson was hired as the liason between the community organizations and the Brooklyn Museum. The Cultural Voucher program through Museums Collaborative Inc. was operational at the Brooklyn Museum until 1986.