Photo from my art reception at the VAC ‘In Passing’
I have often felt the Visual Arts Center providing FREE exhibits is what made the Pavilion unique. Oh, sure, you betcha, museums across the country charge a fee to their visual arts center, but what is different about the Pavilion is our demographics. The Pavilion has gotten a reputation over the years for not catering to the whole community, and this latest move proves it. I have often argued that leaving the VAC free would attract people who normally wouldn’t ‘look at art’ or attend the Pavilion and the FREE gallery as an asset to our community. While I have often disagreed with the facility (now more then ever with the recent departure of the Development Director) I have supported the Arts Night exhibit and fundraiser in the past and have had an individual exhibit and have been in several joint exhibits at the VAC. The Pavilion really is closing the last remaining door to the general public as a whole with this move.
But there is also other questions that need to be answered;
Nan Baker, interim executive director of the Sioux Falls Arts Council, said she is worried that the arts center board had lost sight of the purpose of the group’s two largest fundraisers — the Sidewalk Arts Festival and the Arts Nights. She said their purpose was to ensure the arts center would remain free.
“When we go out and solicit donations, we do so on the premise that (the Visual Arts Center) is free and open to the public,†Baker said. “If that’s not occurring, we need to have the conversation about what those fundraisers are for.â€
Nan could not have said it better. What are the fundraisers, the grants and individual donations for? Because we know one thing, there isn’t a lot of ‘work related’ activity going on behind the big purple walls . . . ahem.
And the VAC director, who couldn’t direct a class of 5-year olds on how to open a can of play dough had this to say;
“We’re ready to do it; we’re ready to take on the next level,†Merhib said. “It’s not about money; it’s about putting value to the art.â€
Taking what to the ‘next level’? Banning all ‘regular folk’ from patronizing your facility? And that is really the irony in all this. Imagine someone coming to your facility for the first time, walking in and enjoying the FREE gallery, then deciding to take in a movie or buy a ticket to a concert.
The Pavilion is really missing the big picture on this one, but sadly, no surprise here.