GlaxoSmithKline Foundation donates $2M to N.C. Museum of Art

In its first major gifts announcement since the retirement of Bill Shore, GlaxoSmithKline will donate $2 million to the North Carolina Museum of Art to fund K–12 educational programs.

The big pharma company with North American headquarters in Research Triangle Park has long been a leader in Triangle corporate philanthropy, donating a total of $5.2 million in 2010 and $28 million over the past five years. The arts donation was technically made through its N.C. GSK Foundation.

The project is called The Big Picture and will give professional development resources, workshops and distance learning courses to help K–12 teachers learn art-based strategies to teach better. Project components include:

• Free tri-annual educator expos;

• An annual teaching fellowship award;

• Student exhibitions at the museum;

• Enhanced version of the ArtNC Web site, with integrated lesson plans, online professional development tools, and ways to share best practices with peers.

GSK (NYSE: GSK) employs 4,500 in RTP and another 5,000 in the Philadelphia region. Bill Shore, who helped build the company’s community relations department from the ground up, announced his retirement at age 62 in January after 27 years with the company.