Cameron Art Museum

Wilmington, NC

Founded in 1962, Cameron Art Museum (CAM) is eastern North Carolina’s premier cultural institution, welcoming over 70,000 visitors annually. CAM’s collection prominently features significant regional artists including Minnie Evans, Romare Bearden, and Claude Howell, alongside contemporary voices explored through dynamic exhibitions. Recent and ongoing exhibitions engage with a wide spectrum of artistic practices—from midcentury modernism’s influential legacy to contemporary artistic explorations of identity, history, and social justice. CAM is also home to the Minnie Evans Study Center, dedicated to the legacy of Minnie Evans (1892–1987), a seminal African American artist from North Carolina whose visionary, spiritually infused artworks—created over five decades—blend elements of folk, surrealism, and spirituality, reflecting her deep connection to nature, religion, and a rich cultural heritage that continues to inspire regional and national audiences.

The CAM Initiative for the Environment (CAMIE) is a scoping project assessing energy-efficient upgrades to reduce the museum’s carbon footprint. The museum will evaluate strategies including converting the boiler to electric, geothermal HVAC feasibility, solar panel installation, LED lighting upgrades, motion sensors, a net-zero art vault, and water conservation improvements. This study will benchmark current emissions and energy use, identify reduction strategies, and develop an actionable plan targeting measurable greenhouse gas reductions. The project will also enhance CAM’s role as a sustainability leader and educational resource within the cultural sector.

Milestones

• Complete feasibility study to benchmark energy use and identify priorities

• Develop technical designs and cost estimates with project partners

• Plan solar installation, electric boiler, LED lighting, and water conservation measures

• Conduct shading study to improve building cooling efficiency

• Explore solar-powered vault feasibility for collection preservation

• Expand sustainability-focused educational programming for local communities