What kind of advice or help do you want? In a previous position our Exhibition Committee did not originate exhibitions or exhibition ideas, but served as a policy-advisory body and relayed the concerns of the community vis-à-vis our exhibitions to the Program Team. They knew that this was their role and understood that the staff had their own resources for coming up with ideas and staying current with the field. Julia Muney Moore Public Art Administrator and Project Manager, Art Program, New Indianapolis Airport Blackburn Architects 3388 Founders Rd Indianapolis, IN 46268 317.875.5500 x230 FAX 317.875.0544 [log in to unmask] _____ From: George Garner [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 2:31 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Crafting a functioning Exhibitions Committee of a Board of Directors Thanks Shoshanna. I was trying to find subtle ways to emphasize the lack of diversity in the current group. It's part of the concern my Director and I have with how it currently functions. We want to build a Committee representative of the communities we serve and that functions more effectively to recommend policies and exhibitions more responsive to our communities. Also, one of my goals is building a Committee that will be a help to me as I develop exhibitions. I want people I can call upon for advice, help, etc. As it stands I call old classmates or, as in this case, Museum-L. :) But I really have no idea how other museums structure similar Committees, and rather than reinvent the wheel, I hope listers out there can give me ideas about how their committees work and how I can structure mine. I appreciate the question Shoshanna. Best, George ----- Original Message ----- From: Shoshanna Lansberg <mailto:[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 2:14 PM Subject: Re: Crafting a functioning Exhibitions Committee of a Board of Directors No offense Mr. Garner, but was it important that you include the detail that the current group is "six women"? Just wondering... Shoshanna Lansberg Exhibit Content Coordinator Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum P.O. Box 12874 Austin, TX 78711 Ph. (512) 936-2309 Fx. (512) 936-4699 email: <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask] _____ From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of George Garner Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 1:08 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Crafting a functioning Exhibitions Committee of a Board of Directors Dear listers, I have an opportunity to reshape the Exhibitions Committee of my Board of Directors. Currently it consists of six women, only three or four of whom show up on a relatively regular basis. Their function is to be informed about the staff's exhibit planning, offer suggestions, and then a member will report to the board. However, they tend to suggest exhibitions or components of exhibitions based more on their biases than recognizing the diverse audiences we serve, the goals of a particular exhibition, or the direction/vision of the institution. Some have extensive exhibition experience, but they have not reviewed or added to their skills for decades. As a result, they do not function as a group in tune with the goals of the institution, the goals of the department, or serve as good mentors for me. My director asked me to look into cultivating and recommending new members. I have an idea of what I would like, but so far in my career I have never worked with (let alone cultivated) a Committee with this role. So I thought I would poll the list. What do you believe makes a functioning Exhibition Committee? What should I be looking for when I search for new members? How should this group look, i.e., what qualities or qualifications should they possess? Is the current role of the Committee, e.g. advisory only, typical of other institutions and if not, what should the role of the Committee be? A few things to keep in mind. One, the Committee has only a few members who serve on the Board of Directors and only one of them has to be a Board member so s/he can report to the Board. Two, the Committee is different than my staff committee which has a more active role and is primarily responsible for planning exhibitions. I thank anyone and everyone who can offer advice. Best, George Garner Director of Exhibitions Center for History 808 West Washington, South Bend, IN 46601 www.centerforhistory.org <http://www.centerforhistory.org> // (574) 235-9664 -------- Celebrate Women's History Month in March at the Center for History. Visit our exhibition about the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was immortalized by the film, A League of Their Own. ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . 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