With 22 of an allowed 40 pieces of art sold, the Berkshire Museum ends its much-frowned-upon auction of some of the most famous of its own artworks in a sale designed to finance expanded science and history sections. The museum now has its cash; many will be watching to see if the money is used wisely.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation considers selling one of the 16th president’s iconic stovepipe hats to finance the debt incurred to buy it.
The current professional standard is clear: Art museums must always use proceeds from the sale of art to buy more art. Is that the right standard for the field to have?
It is to be expected that in a time of radical change in an institution, some disagreements would exist on the board even to the point of sparking resignations. A closer peek at what the process felt like at the Berkshire Museum may help us all think about how to approach the big questions in front of our own boards.
The Berkshire Museum faces sanctions from its peers at a museum trade association.
The Berkshire Museum’s proposed sale of $55 million in artworks is approved by a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court justice. The long-term impact of this decision, both for Pittsfield and the art world, remains to be seen.
Plaintiffs who oppose the Berkshire Museum’s planned sale of up to 40 artworks for up to $55 million have filed “friend of the court” briefs before a state superior court justice, who will rule soon on whether the museum’s settlement with the state is upheld or invalidated.
Since July, a museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, has faced the wrath of the nation’s art community. The settlement should spur the arts community to develop more creative ways to preserve public art in financially struggling communities.
Since 1969, the Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia has provided a home for groundbreaking artists of every stripe. But can it remain relevant in the city’s arts scene without a building to its name?
When consultant documents show up as court exhibits, what will they say about your nonprofit decision-making processes?
