Well, our board decided that we should not broker sales, or take a 
percentage of sales engendered by exhibitions, because they felt (and I 
agree) that it could result in a conflict of interest.  We are a non-profit 
educational institution.  We feel that we should choose exhibitions based 
solely on quality, not based on whether we can make a profit from the sales 
of the artwork in them.  Which is not to say good stuff doesn't sell, but 
that we shouldn't allow the market to determine what we do.  It's a slippery 
slope we choose not to walk on.  I do not want to have to make exhibition 
schedule decisions based on whether people in my small semi-rural town will 
be inclined to purchase works from the show, or even be able to.  It would 
really detract from our reputation and the quality of our exhibition 
schedule, in my opinion.  There are some perfectly good local/regional 
artists who sell, sell, sell, but we wouldn't be serving our community by 
showing the same four artists year-in and year-out.  My own policy (more or 
less unofficial) is that we don't show the same artist twice in less than 
ten years.

That said, we do have an annual silent auction which features a three-day 
exhibition of works donated to be auctioned off for the museum's benefit. 
These tend to be local artists in a rather affordable price range.  Our 
patrons get to know the work of local artists, and these artists are people 
willing to trade an artwork for the tax write-off (however minimal) and the 
exposure.  Our official museum exhibition schedule, however, is blessedly 
free from the market's whims.

I do *not* have a huge exhibition budget, and all of it does go to art 
exhibitions. We simply choose exhibitions we can afford, and a small 
honorarium is part of the expense.  Perhaps exploiting artists would provide 
our audience with "the best and broadest" experience, but I believe we 
should strike a balance between serving the visitor and treating artists as 
professionals.  Frankly, I resent being called "short-sighted" for operating 
in this manner.

Jill R. Chancey, Curator
Lauren Rogers Museum of Art
PO Box 1108
Laurel, MS 39441
(601) 649-6374
www.LRMA.org
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2005 2:50 PM
Subject: Re: honoraria for artists whose works are on exhibit


> It has been my experience that as museum's we do have the opportunity  to 
> "promote or broker sales" .  I think that the artist and museum both gain 
> from the exhibition.  I have been flooded with requests from artists for 
> exhibitions in the museum's gallerys.  While I do feel that  the museum 
> should pay for transportation, lodging, meals, etc., this including an 
> honoraria is not always needed nor required.  I recently put together an 
> exhibit of 25 artists that was promoted as a "show and sale".  The artists 
> involved not only provided for all of the costs for transportation of 
> their art and themselves, but also payed a percentage to the museum on the 
> sale of their artwork.  The museum spent a considerable amount on 
> marketing and a two-day opening event.  It was a win-win event bringing 
> collectors in to see new artwork, meet the artists and purchase art . 
> The museum gained by bring a new audience to the museum and having a great 
> 6-week exhibition.  This is only one of several exhibition where the 
> museum displayed and promoted the sale of works of art.
>
> If you can't afford to pay an honoraria you just don't bring in art 
> exhibits is somewhat short-sighted and not providing your visitors with 
> the best and broadest experience possible.   You need to use what ever 
> means are available to provide the greatest experience possible for your 
> visitors and community.  Though my point of view may come from years of 
> working in institutions with very small budgets, obviously a lot smaller 
> than most of  yours.
>
> Greg Shuman
>
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