FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Dec. 17, 2013

CONTACT: Jeff Mammenga, Media Coordinator, (605) 773-6000, Jeff.Mammenga@state.sd.us

Stamps topic of Jan. 12 program at Cultural Heritage Center

PIERRE, S.D. – The Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society will host a special webcast from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Postal Museum entitled "The Art of the Stamp," at 2 p.m. CST on Sunday, Jan. 12, at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. 

The 2012 Sundman Lecture focuses on the art, process and philosophy of contemporary stamp design. It features speakers from the stamp designing and collecting community, including Citizen Stamp Advisory Committee member Janet Klug, U.S. Postal Service art director Antonio Alcalá, stamp artist and professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology Kam Mak, artist/illustrator Howard Koslow and photographer Sally Andersen-Bruce.

“This is a great opportunity to enjoy learning more about a pastime that has been and remains a passion for many Americans,” said Jay Smith, director of the Museum of the State Historical Society. “We are fortunate that the Smithsonian National Postal Museum provides a unique programming opportunity like the Sundman Lecture. Postage stamps may be common to us, but over time they have represented many people, events, ideas and expressions that tell us a lot about ourselves. I am sure a broad audience will enjoy this program.”

There is no fee to view the program, in the center’s education room, but standard admission fees apply for visitors wishing to tour the museum galleries.

The presentation was originally broadcast on Nov. 10, 2012, at the National Postal  Museum as part of the annual Maynard Sumner Lecture series.

The South Dakota State Historical Society became a Smithsonian Affiliate in January and it is the only facility in South Dakota to enjoy this designation.

About Smithsonian Affiliations

Established in 1996, Smithsonian Affiliations is a national outreach program that develops long-term collaborative partnerships with museums, educational and cultural organizations to enrich communities with Smithsonian resources. The long-term goal of Smithsonian Affiliations is to facilitate a two-way relationship among Affiliate organizations and the Smithsonian Institution to increase discovery and inspire lifelong learning in communities across America. More information about the Smithsonian Affiliations program and Affiliate activity is available at https://affiliations.si.edu.

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The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Tourism. The Department of Tourism is comprised of Tourism, the South Dakota Arts Council and the State Historical Society. The Department is led by Secretary James D. Hagen. The State Historical Society, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. The center houses the society’s world-class museum, the archives, and the historic preservation, publishing and administrative/development offices. Call (605) 773-3458 or visit history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call (605) 394-1936 for more information.