--------------------- Forwarded message: Subj: THESIS RESEARCH Date: 97-03-18 21:42:41 EST From: ArtsUAU To: [log in to unmask] I am a graduate student in Arts Administration at American University working on my thesis about the Guggenheim - Bilbao (Spain) project. I am specifically interesting in obtaining opinions about the project from other museum professionals. The project is, in my opinion, a precedence-setting example of franchising a museum collection (on behalf of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, NY) and a high-risk project aimed to revitalize industry investment via the promotion of culture (on behalf of the Bilbao Ria-2000 organizers). I was fortunate enough to visit the site two weeks ago and the building is, again in my opinion, shaping up to be, as a recent Newsweek article claims, a masterpiece. My thesis will address the issues which the Basque population and critics of the project have presented as well as the feasibility study carried out by the two organizations (SRGM and Bilbao planners). Any comments, suggestions or imput about the project would be more than welcome!