I don't think this is very different from the "corporate" or retail sector.
The easiest way to convince your board, etc. is to "grow" your institutional
base.  Increasing attendance, funding, contributions, etc.  Alternatively,
you can ask your responsible parties to "imagine" a community without
cultural resources (I don't have much faith in this path).  The other side
of the coin is: I am not sure "growing" an institution is productive.  We've
had 25 years of this consolidation in the "real world" to the detriment of
diversity.  For example, fast food franchises replacing the local bistro.
At any rate, the work has to be done BEFORE we see an increase.  Even then
people are very practical and may not give you the raise you deserve.
Still, growing the pie is the surest bet.

Richard de Koster
Executive Director
Constitution Island Association
West Point, New York
www.constitutionisland.org
www.highlands.com/art


-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Sarah Andrews
Sent: Friday, June 29, 2001 1:03 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Value to the Community


Maybe this discussion would benefit from a shift in direction.  We've been
over the pay vs. love of the job issue a thousand times.  Can anyone offer
some good concrete suggestions for HOW to convince our boards, our community
and our country of the value of our institutions as historic, cultural and
artistic resources?  If we use this list as a forum to develop ideas, and
start implementing them...well I think that 2500 people across the country
could actually make the beginnings of a difference!  Has anyone out there
succeeded already, even in a small way, of obtaining higher pay, better
benefits or improved work conditions that could be replicated elsewhere?

Sarah Andrews
Woodrow Wilson House
Washington, DC

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