MTA E-News - Summer 2009

Welcome to the latest news from the Museum Trustee Association, The Network for Informing, Advising and Inspiring Museum Trustees. We want to share our monthly newsletter with all your museum trustees. If we don't have a current roster for your institution, please email it to Donna McQuery at office@mta-hq.org . MTA keeps these names and email addresses confidential of course.

MTA Collaborates with Two Museum Organizations

The Museum Trustee Association supports collaboration among museum organizations as a part of our efforts to increase the value of partnerships with Directors, Staff and Trustees. MTA recognizes that we all share a love for museums and support each other in dealing with the many challenges facing museums today.

On May 22, MTA Vice-Chair Mary Wieler, a trustee of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, and Jim McCreight, MTA President, met with Ford Bell, C.E.O. of the American Association of Museums and Danielle St.Germain-Gordon, V.P. of AAM, in Washington to discuss plans for the third annual Trustee program at the AAM Annual Conference in Los Angeles, California, on May 23-26, 2010. MTA has collaborated with AAM on the past two Trustee Day programs in Philadelphia and Denver. Discussion is underway to plan a trustee program in Los Angeles combining educational presentations with museum and private collection tours. As details are available we will post information on the MTA website and E-Newsletter.

On May 23 in New York City, MTA Board Treasurer and long-time Queens Art Museum Trustee, Murray Tarnapoll, and Jim McCreight, MTA President, met with Janet Landay, Executive Director of the Association of Art Museum Directors to discuss how MTA and AAMD might collaborate on trustee training for trustees and directors of art museums. AAMD is the leading art museum Directors association with nearly 200 art museum Directors as members. MTA Board Chair, Aaron Milrad, was invited to the AAMD meeting in Toronto on June 15 and was pleased to meet many of the AAMD members and participate in their sessions. MTA will be working with AAMD in the upcoming Trustee Forum in San Diego Oct. 29, 2009 and the AAM Trustee program in Los Angeles next spring.

Cut-backs Continue as Museums Face Difficult Times

From A to Z, art museums to zoos, Trustees are facing the difficult economic conditions by making hard decisions with their Directors to keep budgets balanced, improve endowment investment performance, maintain employee moral, and strengthen program offerings.

Even the largest museums are not immune to cut-backs. MTA member, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the largest museum in America recently announced significant changes.

Cut staff by 357 people, 14% of its work force, saving $10 million
Closed 15 satellite retail shops around the country
Suggested admission fees of $20 are down as well as memberships
The $2.9 billion endowment took an $800 million hit in the last 6 months of 2008
Most museums can't relate to the budget and employee size of the MET but the pain at a smaller museum or historical house as a percentage of their budget or employee count is no less.

Several museums have been very transparent in decisions made by the Directors and Trustees. We applaud this openness and urge all boards to be forthcoming with their stakeholders as to the current conditions their museum faces and the changes that must be made. Members, Patrons, and other stakeholders will appreciate news, good or bad, and often step-up to aid the museum when asked.

MTA Trustee FORUM -
October 29, 2009 in San Diego

Plans are underway for a great two day program for MTA Patrons and Trustees in San Diego this fall.

On October 29, 2009 we will hold a Trustee Forum at the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park. An evening private collection tour and dinner at the La Jolla Country Club for MTA patrons and board members will follow the Trustee Forum.

On Friday, October 30, MTA will offer special passes to all Balboa Park museums to MTA Patrons and invite them to join the MTA board at a reception at the Timkin Museum and dinner in Balboa Park.

Registration material for the Trustee Forum will be available soon.

How You Can Help the Museum Trustee Assocation

In addition to continuing your museums membership in the Musteum Trustee Association, you, as an individual Trustee or Director, can assist MTA -

Join MTA as a Patron ($1,000 or more per year) - receive special event invitations to private collection tours, behind the scenes museum tours, and special dinners with other patrons and trustees.

Attend a Forum or Program - Attend the Trustee Forum in San Diego on October 29, 2009 and the AAM Trustee Program in Los Angeles in May 2010.

Become a sponsor - Your company can become a sponsor and receive special benefits and reach over 5000 museum decision makers. For a list of sponsorship opportunities contact us at president@mta-hq.org.

Welcome to New MTA Member

Salina Art Center, Inc.

Salina, Kansas

www.salinaartcenter.org

The Salina Art Center is celebrating its 25th year as a private, non-profit organization committed to art, artists, and audiences in Salina and across the region. The Art Center has been recognized for its innovative exhibitions and programs, including the permanent Interactive Area for children of all ages.

The center is known for dedication to presenting visual arts experiences ranging from important and groundbreaking international exhibitions and prestigious national shows to exhibitions featuring local and regional artists. The Art Center Cinema presents film as a visual art form - a wide range of comedy, drama, and documentary films which are original, imaginative, exciting, thought-provoking and memorable in its own cinema.

The Art Center offers opportunities for everyone to participate which include:

exhibitions open five days each week, free of charge
interactive guided exhibition tours for groups ranging from preschool students to clubs, classes, and other community organizations
The Artery for children of all ages, available during all open hours
lectures, gallery talks, discussions, demonstrations, classes on art history and art topics, and other programs which build upon and draw from exhibition themes and content
studio arts classes offered each summer for preschoolers through adults, in collaboration with Salina Parks and Recreation
the best in contemporary and international film, usually screened Thursday through Sundays, at the Art Center Cinema, with special screenings arranged for school groups when appropriate
opportunities for artists: new work commissions, exhibitions, merit awards and sales opportunities, teaching, residencies, and performances