It always surprises me when people say, or write, that museums are intimidating and must be made more visitor-friendly, as if a Beaux Arts building or grand staircase were too formidable for the average person, who braves far scarier things at a sports event, club or rap concert, to tackle.  Nevertheless, many museums have accepted this and are striving to change their ways and even (sometimes, sadly) their architecture. Last week, in this context, the Cincinnati Art Museum introduced what's believed to be the … [Read more...]

When we last left Springfield, Mo., it was doing a very public search for the director of the Springfield Art Museum, with a lot of -- too much, I said -- public participation. Granted, I said, it is a city-owned museum. Nonetheless, the board botched the job of taking public demands into account and made the future director's job oh-so-much-more difficult. There have to be boundaries. Many of you disagreed. That was September. Two things have happened since. A couple of weeks ago, the board announced three finalists and invited the … [Read more...]

The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced the winners of its 2011 National Medal for Museum and Library Service the other day -- five libraries and five museums. They're given for "extraordinary civic, educational, economic, environmental, and social contributions" and IMLS says "Recipients must demonstrate innovative approaches to public service and community outreach." I might not have noticed, except that one of this year's winners, the Brooklyn Museum, sent out a press release, which prompted me to look at the entire list … [Read more...]

I'm just catching up with the 2012 Fellows at the Center for Curatorial Leadership, run by Elizabeth Easton. The announcement of those selected came the other day. You will know some, but not all, of the names. It's always a mystery whether these kinds of programs help. They don't hurt anyone's career, that's for sure. But they may not catapult them into a directorship either. I'm not naming names,  but most of the 41 lucky fellows of the past haven't made the leap. In fact, only five have. Many, … [Read more...]

Tomorrow night, there's a special event at the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University: it's not only the reopening after a four-month renovation. It is also the turning of the page on its turbulent recent past, and -- Brandeis President Frederick Lawrence (below) hopes -- a beginning of a process to restore the Rose and even perhaps elevate its position at the university. There are skeptics out there. Still bruised by the battle set off in January, 2009 when the university tried to turn the Rose into an arts … [Read more...]

This announcement came on Friday last week, long after I'd left Boston, but I want to highlight it just the same: a large trove of outsider art and folk art has been given to the Harvard Art Museums by Didi and David Barrett. That Harvard accepted it says something encouraging about outsider and folk art, but there was more: the gift, of 38 drawings and painting "take[s] our holdings of American contemporary art in an exciting new direction," Thomas W. Lentz, the museum's director, said in the press release announcing the … [Read more...]

Can Boston shake its reputation for being too conservative for a vibrant contemporary art sector? With the opening this fall of the Museum of Fine Arts's new contemporary wing, plus the 75th anniversary special events of the Institute for Contemporary Art, Boston boosters are hoping so. (That's Jill Medvedow, ICA's director, at left, and a glimpse of the MFA's contemporary wing below.) And truth be told, there is more going on in Boston than the city gets credit for. I lay some of it out in an article in today's New York Times. If I'd … [Read more...]

This year's Art Basel Miami Beach -- the 10th edition -- will be bigger than ever: new or bigger events, a secret celebratory party, at least a few new galleries.  The fair's success has been amazing: I recall the doubts many people, including me, had. Was Miami the right place? Was December the right time? Etc. etc.  It all turned out pretty well, obviously. The art communities in Miami and Miami Beach are much more vibrant than many could have imagined, at least for part of the … [Read more...]

I am flummoxed. Here is the latest press release I received from the National Endowment for the Arts. It came yesterday, and says, in full: Washington, DC--Game on! State arts agencies across the country are becoming increasingly sophisticated and active in their use of social media to connect with their constituents. Until recently, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) claimed to have the largest group of Facebook friends of any of the state arts agencies. However, the DCCAH's status was resoundingly challenged when … [Read more...]

Breaking Now: Max Anderson, director of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, has been named director of the Dallas Museum of Art. That's what my sources say... Why exacty Anderson would want to make the jump is a bit puzzling. The Indianapolis Museum's collection is about twice the size of the Dallas museum's. It's better, too. However, in Dallas, there's more money for Anderson to cultivate. He can try to make the museum grow faster. The Dallas Museum is also not the only game in the area: when you consider the wealth of art in Fort Worth -- … [Read more...]