Open Forum

Post deleted.

------Original Message------

Museum Colleagues,

I work for a medium-sized municipal art museum in a small community in the Southwest. Our City Manager has long been hostile to our institution, seeing it as an unnecessary drain on the City’s resources, and is now using the pandemic situation as an excuse to take drastic action.

First our budget was frozen for the remainder of this fiscal year and preemptively slashed by 20% for next year which left us just enough to cover salaries for our 16 staff members, utilities, and perhaps insurance - nothing else. Then we were told we would need to reimagine our service model, eliminating all events, programs, exhibits, and activities, and cutting one-third to one-half of our staff positions. We have a facility of 50,000 square feet and 10,000 objects in our collection but should be able to operate with any amount of staff and/or budget, we were told. Our Director did her best, coming up with a new plan and budget that eliminated several positions but she’s also been frantically writing grants to try to make up the difference and save any jobs she can. Today, after refusing to meet with us and without even looking at the new plan, the City Manager began enquiring about the “value” of our collections. A reliable source then overheard a conversation at City Hall that he wants the museum closed for good and the collection sold or stored indefinitely.

This is a man who has refused to allow any City employee to work from home during the pandemic and reassigned all but two of our staff to essential frontline positions to keep them “busy”. Though we, like any museum, have plenty of work we can do while we’re closed, our professional staff is now working at the water department, police station, and landfill, being crowded together in small offices and working directly with the public with no protective equipment.

I’m sorry for the long message, but I’m getting somewhat desperate to save our 80 year old institution - one of the last four Federal Art Centers in existence. It’s a source of real pride for a community that has little else going for it. Our collection is irreplaceable and contains many big-name artists as well as the full archives of several regionally important artists.

So, does anyone know of any resources that I can draw on in this absurd situation? How can I convince him that this course of action is unacceptable? Unfortunately, our legal counsel works for the City.

Please, if you know of anything that might help, share it here!

Thank you.

This sounds like a tough and urgent situation and probably needs political action in terms of a large grass roots (voter) support for your museum (letter writing, phone calling, etc.), perhaps a strong message from your state arts council (if you have one) and even an approach from the Governor's office to set things right. Museum officials will have to be careful not be perceived as fire starters but, perhaps, there is a wealthy and/or politically connected board member who could lead the effort. This is definitely an issue that needs to be taken up by your board and your membership. Happy to provide some strategic thoughts and counseling along the way in a private conversation.
Courtney B. Wilson
Courtney B. Wilson & Associates, LLC


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Courtney B. Wilson
Retired Executive Director
Museum Advisor and Consultant
St. Augustine, FL
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This is a terrible situation, for sure.

I have long ago advocated and run profitable museums that bonus each year numerous times and make all of their own money. When you make all of your own money from profits and sales you never again need:

1. Panhandling
2. Grants
3. Endowment
4. Donations, annuities, stocks as gifts
5. Allotments from civil entities such as municipal, county, or state.

Although these five items are excellent to have, obtain, receive and get (they certainly can be pursued) removing them from the core budget of buildings, payroll, utilities, insurance, and bonus checks is paramount. In 2008 our Speaker of the House in NC reflected with me about the then economic holocaust and dozens of state-owned museums closing and laying off hundreds. They had to decide to fund schools, prisons, or the arts and could do two out of three.

I related to him that we provide a turkey, ham, champagne, bonus, and chocolates for Thanksgiving every year and in addition to being a for-profit function are constantly coming up with innovative ways to make money. After all, our colleagues enjoy their bonus checks!

I realize that many in our field find our advocacy outrageous and that society should pay for the arts via public funds from the general ledger of towns, counties, and states - not to mention federal funds (I for one do not should on people). But then they continue to find themselves in these situations of open horror, bankruptcy, jobless torture for deserving and kind team members now cast out on the streets, and being cut-off from new leaders who have no love for the arts and museums budgets.

Why some find it sickening to be responsible and profitable, to give raises and bonus checks, without begging town hall - I will never know. When you turn a profit and provide surplus monies to the trustees - you just watch how happy they get. In the case of publicly owned museums - when they are a source of income for a town - you just watch how much they are loved.

These things could lay the groundwork for a better relationship with your city leaders. Especially when you show them a three-year plan to become profitable. I am wishing you luck, love, and care.

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Thank you, from Marti

Martin CJ Mongiello, MBA, MA, MCFE.

CEO and CMO at The United States Presidential Service Center Foundation Trusts and US Presidential Culinary Museum. White House Military Office badge number 14592, 301 Cleveland Avenue, Grover, NC 28073
001 (704) 937-2940 

www.PresidentialServiceCenter.org

www.PresidentialCulinaryMuseum.org

GM of The Inn of the Patriots country inn www.TheInnofthePatriots.com

"Enjoy a night at the museum!"
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Hi Audrey,

First off, I am so sorry! My immediate suggestion is to reach out to your elected officials and/or your board of directors and community advocates should be talking to your City Council. I'm not sure what kind of governing body you have, but most that you describe should only be possible by City Council action and approval. I'd also suggest engaging your supporters to advocate via the public/media for your institution, have a petition started, etc. I would also talk to your State Arts agency to see if they can help advocate from the State level and get your State legislators involved.

If you have a Foundation or collections committee, they should be digging into the legal ramifications in place on selling off your collection. I would dig into your charter/master plan/ acquisition polices to see what your limitations are for those. As a municipality, you may not be able to sell off artwork, the City I currently work for cannot do this. If we did ever liquidate, we would have to donate our collection to a non-profit entity. 

I'm crossing my fingers for you all!

Best, 

Lindsay 

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Lindsay Benacka
Arts and Culture Program Manager
Yuma Art Center - City of Yuma, AZ
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Do you have museum champions or individuals in your community who know and value the importance and impact of your museum who can speak out? Do you have a history of engaging in ongoing advocacy where your constituents and patrons communicate to elected officials and the public in general about the importance of your museum?  This is a good example of the need for ongoing advocacy so that it times of difficulties there are advocates within your circle that will speak out and that you can call upon to help make the case for why your institution is important.  Do you have teachers, parents, community leaders, other constituents who will make the case?  Statistics about the economic impact of your museum?  Quotes from visitors?  Information from visitor surveys?  School board members or other elected officials who are friendly towards your museum.  There are lots of advocacy resources on the AAM web site.

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Karen Witter
Independent Museum Consultant and freelance writer
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Dear Aubrey & colleagues:

Somewhat dated data from the early 1990s focused on one Canadian case & research in the literature available at the time may be of limited use to you in the following journal article & report on municipal museums:



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Paul C.Thistle
Director/Curator (retired)
Stratford, Ontario
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Actually I thought that I had posted on here before but do not see it now.  The main thing that I was saying is your strength seems to be among the people.  Like others have stated get a grassroots support group going.  Now Aubrey seeing your other points here gives a little more to think about.  Anyhow you do seem to be doing what you can to be prepared.  How about this 101-year old benefactor you mention it seems as if to not hold up his wishes would be to no longer honor such a great citizen.  One other thing which I could suggest is that if you had some other exhibit or presentation that tells about and celebrates your local history this would seem to show the city council and manager an important thing which the museum does for them.
Jerry Foley

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Jerry Foley
GPO
National Gallery of Art
Washington DC
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Dear colleagues:

I can now update my previous contribution to this string that contains some 21st century resources provided by professional museum organisations to help museums effectively advocate for support & even legally participate in the political process--as well as elections--at all levels including the municipal bailiwick. 

See the Critical Museology Miscellanea blog post "Municipal Museum Cuts: Cautionary Tale & Response Strategies" dated 11 May at  https://miscellaneousmuseology.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/municipal-museum-cuts-cautionary-tale-response-strategies/ (accessed 13 May 2020).

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Paul C.Thistle
Director/Curator (retired)
Stratford, Ontario
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-12-2020 09:07 AM
From: Jerry Foley
Subject: Urgent Assistance Requested

Actually I thought that I had posted on here before but do not see it now.  The main thing that I was saying is your strength seems to be among the people.  Like others have stated get a grassroots support group going.  Now Aubrey seeing your other points here gives a little more to think about.  Anyhow you do seem to be doing what you can to be prepared.  How about this 101-year old benefactor you mention it seems as if to not hold up his wishes would be to no longer honor such a great citizen.  One other thing which I could suggest is that if you had some other exhibit or presentation that tells about and celebrates your local history this would seem to show the city council and manager an important thing which the museum does for them.
Jerry Foley

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Jerry Foley
GPO
National Gallery of Art
Washington DC
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UPDATE 22 September 2020

Dear colleagues:

I am getting back to the now deleted post at the top of this string with 12 additional perspectives on museum values & support issues that I believe will help institutions to be pro-active in building awareness of what the role of a museum is & its benefits to local communities. See the Thistle (2020) reference below for access to all of these perspectives & more.

Among the range of arguments presented in these editorials is the following:


I trust that heritage institutions looking for ways & means of building community support for their purposes & programmes will find usable ideas & strategies to succeed.

Reference Cited:

Thistle, Paul C. 2020. "UPDATE on "Urgent Request for Assistance": 12 Relevant Editorials." Critical Museology Miscellanea blog posted on 22 September at https://miscellaneousmuseology.wordpress.com/2020/09/22/update-on-urgent-request-for-assistance-12-relevant-editorials/ (accessed 22 September 2020).

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Paul C.Thistle
Director/Curator (retired)
Stratford, Ontario
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 05-13-2020 11:02 AM
From: Paul Thistle
Subject: Urgent Assistance Requested

Dear colleagues:

I can now update my previous contribution to this string that contains some 21st century resources provided by professional museum organisations to help museums effectively advocate for support & even legally participate in the political process--as well as elections--at all levels including the municipal bailiwick.

See the Critical Museology Miscellanea blog post "Municipal Museum Cuts: Cautionary Tale & Response Strategies" dated 11 May at  https://miscellaneousmuseology.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/municipal-museum-cuts-cautionary-tale-response-strategies/ (accessed 13 May 2020).

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Paul C.Thistle
Director/Curator (retired)
Stratford, Ontario
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 05-12-2020 09:07 AM
From: Jerry Foley
Subject: Urgent Assistance Requested

Actually I thought that I had posted on here before but do not see it now.  The main thing that I was saying is your strength seems to be among the people.  Like others have stated get a grassroots support group going.  Now Aubrey seeing your other points here gives a little more to think about.  Anyhow you do seem to be doing what you can to be prepared.  How about this 101-year old benefactor you mention it seems as if to not hold up his wishes would be to no longer honor such a great citizen.  One other thing which I could suggest is that if you had some other exhibit or presentation that tells about and celebrates your local history this would seem to show the city council and manager an important thing which the museum does for them.
Jerry Foley

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Jerry Foley
GPO
National Gallery of Art
Washington DC