Maybe I missed the discussion on this but what is up with the JC Medical Center buying the museum for only $900k?

"The exhibit, Masters of the Collection, will be located on the Montgomery Street facility?s first floor, where the Jersey City Medical Center, which purchased the building earlier this year, has allowed the museum to show some of the pieces in its collection.

JCMC acquired the museum in February for $900,000. After renovations, the medical facility relocated some of its administrative offices to the museum?s second and third floors, leaving the ground floor for art exhibits."

http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index ... y_museum_will_reopen.html

As much as I hate to admit it, Healy does have a point about the urgency of the situation. We don't even know where everything in the permanent collection is being stored and I suspect at least a large portion of the collection remain in the building. The City Council was going to give United Way a huge grant to fix the building's HVAC system if the sale had gone through. Now that United Way backed off, we are left with an ailing climate control system that may have already been shut off for an extended period of time. Having worked in a contemporary arts museum with no climate control to speak of, I can attest to the problems this poses. Artwork housed in these conditions requires constant monitoring. If the inventory doesn't happen for several months, there is no telling how much of collection (and its value) will be compromised. That being said, I also understand how important it is for this to be done properly and I would trust Healy's appointments for such a project about as far as I could throw them.

I am surprised the museum's stunning irresponsibility is not a bigger scandal. There are (were) some high profile members of the Jersey City Museum's board, including Michael Royce, the director of NYFA.

This stinks to high heaven of corruption.

From the closure, to the attempted United Way scheme, to the current inability to provide an inventory, you can't help but smell the fishy funk emanating from this fiasco.

They need a FBI investigation, not just an inventory.

This stuff is going to wind up on eBay and on the mantel at the Healy home.

Jersey City councilman wants City Council to name panel to inventory holdings of dormant city museum, but mayor says bureaucracy would take too long and accomplish little

Wednesday, May 04, 2011, 10:31 PM
By Terrence T. McDonald - The Jersey Journal

Jersey City needs a detailed inventory of the collection in the cash-strapped and now dormant Jersey City Museum, a councilman says.

Councilman Steven Fulop announced today that he will sponsor an ordinance to create a "City Council-empowered ad-hoc committee" to list the inventory of the museum's 10,000-piece collection.

The Jersey City Museum closed its doors to the public in December, and a deal with United Way to purchase the facility and lease back space is now dead, according to a memo from city Corporation Counsel William Matsikoudis.

In January, Matsikoudis wrote to museum officials asking for a "full inventory" of the museum's collection to assure city officials that the pieces were being protected. Museum officials refused.

Under Fulop's proposal, the Department of Cultural Affairs, in conjunction with the former director of the museum, would lead a committee appointed by the council.

"History has shown that during times of transition in museums is when artwork and valuables are most at risk of potential damage or theft," Fulop said.

Fulop's suggestion has been given a thumbs down by Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy, who said in a statement that the city is already at work with a plan to create a museum inventory.

"To create a bureaucratic committee now consisting of nine council appointees who are required to have highly specialized credentials would take months to accomplish and will not facilitate our mutual goal of creating a comprehensive inventory as expeditiously as possible, but would rather stymie it," Healy added.

Jersey City Museum, closed to public since December, is now facing foreclosure, according to memo by city corporation counsel

Saturday, April 23, 2011
By TERRENCE T. McDONALD - JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

The financially beleaguered Jersey City Museum is facing foreclosure after a proposed acquisition by the United Way of Hudson County was "aborted," the Jersey City Independent reported yesterday.

In an April 12 letter sent from Corporation Counsel William Matsikoudis to library officials, he demands an inventory of the museum's collection "since the planned sale to United Way has been aborted and foreclosure by Sovereign Bank is imminent."

United Way officials could not be reached for comment.

In January, Matsikoudis wrote to museum officials asking for a "full inventory" of the museum's collection to assure city officials that the pieces were being protected. Museum officials refused.

The Jersey Journal reported in February that United Way officials were in talks to buy the museum's Montgomery Street facility, and then rent a portion of it back to the museum.

That deal is dead now, according to Matsikoudis' memo.

The museum has been struggling financially for years, due in large part to lackluster fundraising and the city's decision to cut its funding from $625,000 in 2009 to $500,000 the following year, and then to zero in 2011.

As a result of the museum's financial struggles, it closed its doors to the public in December and has been operating only with a skeleton staff and volunteers who maintain the facility and its collection of 10,000 pieces, according to museum officials.

Nicely done by Ben Dineen, the chair of the JC Museum Board of Trustees AND the Director of Marketing and Development of United Way of Hudson County.

http://www.unitedwayhudson.org/staff.php

The takeover
United Way purchase of JC Museum ?in final stages?; grant questioned

by E. Assata Wright
Reporter staff writer Hudson Reporter
Feb 27, 2011

More details regarding the possible sale of the Jersey City Museum building to the United Way of Hudson County were revealed at a City Council meeting Wednesday night when the city?s Division of Community Development sought approval from the council to apply for a package of federal Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). One of the grants would help the United Way upgrade the building.

Two weeks ago word leaked that the United Way had expressed an interest in purchasing Jersey City Museum?s building at 350 Montgomery St. Facing $2.98 million in debt, cutbacks in city funding, and alleged mismanagement at the art gallery, the museum has been closed since December. Meanwhile, the museum?s board has fought to salvage and reopen the struggling institution.

Earlier this month United Way President Dan Altilio described a potential move by his organization to Montgomery Street as being in the early discussion phase. The museum hopes to lease part of the space from the organization.

At Wednesday?s meeting, new details about the sale emerged and it appears a deal may be further along that first reported.

City Clerk Robert Byrne mentioned during the meeting that, ?The United Way is in the final stages of buying the museum.?

The city?s Division of Community Development went before the governing body to request approval to submit a package of CDBG funding requests to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Since Community Development Block Grants are paid with federal HUD money, the department must approve local funding recommendations.

Among the funding requests made by the city was a $212,000 grant to improve the HVAC (heating and cooling) system at the Montgomery Street facility. According to the division?s director, Darcie Toon, the improvements will be made in preparation for the United Way?s eventual takeover of the building.

Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop asked whether the city is ?obligated? to make such improvements to the municipally-owned building.

?It?s not uncommon for the city to provide support to nonprofit agencies to make improvements to their facilities,? said Toon. ?This is a facility the United Way is going to own, where they?re going to use the facility to benefit, primarily, low- and moderate-income people. This is what we do with some of our CDBG funds. As long as they?re providing services that are going to benefit primarily low- and moderate-income people, it?s perfectly acceptable; it?s eligible [for CDBG funding.]?

The United Way of Hudson County is a nonprofit organization that helps to transition homeless people into permanent housing, train emotionally and mentally challenged individuals for jobs, and provide a range of programs for low-income children who have either been abused or who are at risk.

Toon added that the United Way is ?acquiring the building with its own resources,? and would be leasing a portion of the space back to Jersey City Museum.

Although discussion of the Division?s CDBG funding recommendations came up last Tuesday during the council?s caucus meeting, Councilman-at-Large Ray Velazquez said, ?I was not under the impression that we [the city] would be improving a building that someone else is going to be buying.?

And Fulop later questioned the $212,000 HVAC upgrade price tag stating, ?A quarter of a million dollars is a lot of money to improve a heating and air conditioning system.?

Although Altilio attended Wednesday?s meeting, he didn?t address the council publicly and instead chose to let Toon field questions alone.

$7M in grants on the line

Jersey City receives more than $7 million in CDBG funding from HUD annually. This money is used to support community-based programs that improve the lives of low- and moderate-income residents.

Some of the Jersey City-based programs funded with CDBG money are Rising Tide Capital, an organization that improves the business skills of low-income entrepreneurs; Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), which represents abused and neglected children in family court; and the Philippine American Friendship Committee, which improves the lives of Filipino immigrants in need.

The Division of Community Development is each year required to get approval from the City Council before it can submit its Community Development Block Grant recommendations to HUD.

Upon approval of the council, the division?s list of funding recommendations will be sent to HUD for review. If approved by the federal agency, the city?s Division of Community Development must return to the council to get further approval before signing any professional service contracts, as would be required for the HVAC upgrade.

By the time HUD approves the city?s application, Toon said, the United Way?s purchase of the museum building should be complete.

Ward F Councilwoman Viola Richardson asked whether the city would still be on the hook to upgrade the HVAC system ? which Toon described as ?highly inefficient? ? if the building sale fell through. Toon said the city will not make the improvements if the sale does not move forward.

Any CDBG funding approved by HUD would be for fiscal year 2011, according to Byrne.

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Speaking of 111 First Street, the museum was the recipient of hundreds of thousands of dollars from New Gold Equities as part of the settlement that allowed the demolition of that building (a deal brokered by then Council President Vega).

So not only was there a lack of outreach, there was participation in the deal that destroyed the local arts hub.

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If all this is true, then I have no sympathy for the museum, its board or management (though I do feel bad for employees who were innocent bystanders who were laid off and/or supposedly haven't received paychecks from last year). I've never been there and certainly have no intention of going there now.

As a previous poster(s) said, that building probably would make a good parking garage. Does Jersey City really need to have a museum of its own? Let's look at this realistically - Jersey City already has the Liberty Science Center (and I don't care for the people that run that place either) and Liberty State Park with that small train station exhibit. Furthermore, while the museum isn't particularly far from the PATH station, it isn't in all that convenient of a location. If they wanted to attract outside visitors, they have to realize that out-of-town tourists are lazy and don't want to walk very far. There isn't much parking around there and website doesn't say much about it. Hoboken may be able to support a museum, but it is smaller, has a lower payroll, management is paid much less and has lower overhead in general.

I have to say it's completely the museum's own doing. They didn't reach out to local artists because they felt many were producing lowbrow art. There was never an outreach program to 111 First St. artists so many felt alienated, rightfully so. Finally, when it was too late, they extended their reach to a community that became more fragmented and their snootiness did them in. Unfortunately the board let the building do the talking as they got swept up in the building boom in the late 90s.

Unless you are MOMA or the MET and have a huge endowment, museums lose money so the goal should have to each out to as many artists, organizations as possible to make the building a destination. It's unfortunate that the board has had such a shortsighted view. I guess they thought Fidelity was going to to pay for all the wine and cheese forever.

Agree with Johnr and the other guy. It would be a nice garage, and this city is going primate. Hoboken can support a museum and JC cannot! Oh we need more basketball hoops, no income free housing, and public piss pools. Please take away the libraries, so we can be more moronic.
The museum should buy the Church on First Street. I would even raise money and give 10k.

United Way of Hudson County is talking to beleaguered Jersey City Museum about buying its building; entities might share

Thursday, February 10, 2011
By TERRENCE T. McDONALD
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

The United Way of Hudson County is in talks with the Jersey City Museum to purchase the financially beleaguered museum's Montgomery Street facility, United Way officials confirmed yesterday.

No contracts have been signed, but the United Way is interested in moving its offices to the museum once it completes a proposed transformation of its Bergen Avenue headquarters into 21 units of special-needs housing, said United Way President Dan Altilio.

"We're just interested at this point," said Altilio.

The United Way and the Jersey City Museum, which has been closed to the public since December because of its financial troubles, share at least one common trait: United Way Resource Development and Marketing Director Ben Dineen is chairman of the museum's Board of Trustees.

Altilio said Dineen's involvement in the museum was not the impetus behind the United Way's interest in new digs. The discussions have not involved Dineen, Altilio said.

Dineen did not return repeated phone calls requesting comment.

It is not clear whether the United Way wants the museum's 38,000-square-foot Montgomery Street facility all to itself, or whether it plans to use a portion and rent the rest back to the museum.

Altilio said he did not want to discuss the proposed museum acquisition in detail because "nothing has been signed."

The museum has been struggling financially for years, due in large part to lackluster fundraising and the city's decision to cut its funding from $625,000 in 2009 to $500,000 the following year and then to zero in 2011.

City funding was "a big chunk" of the museum's revenue, according to James Kobak Jr., vice chairman of the museum's Board of Trustees.

As a result of the museum's financial struggles, the museum closed its doors to the public in December, and has been operating only with a skeleton staff and volunteers who maintain the facility and its collection of 10,000 pieces, Kobak said.

The closure isn't permanent, but museum officials are "taking a hard look" at the museum's present status and determining a way forward, he said.

"We'd like to find a way to stay in our present building, at least part of the present building," Kobak said.

At the dawn of agriculture man had his time freed to enable pursuit of the arts, broadly widening the gap between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom. Now, 10,000 years later, the poor masses of Jersey City are too preoccupied with living hand-to-mouth to worry about appreciating fine art, a thumping bass beat on the radio will have to do. That our quarter million creates the demand for only a single music shop is a hint of the cultural bankruptcy. In Jersey City, the gap is shrinking.

The land was donated?!

Jersey City Museum hurt by budget cuts, lackluster donations scrambles to pay mortgage
Published: Monday, January 24, 2011, 9:00 AM
Peggy McGlone/The Star-Ledger By Peggy McGlone/The Star-Ledger
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jersey-city-museum.JPGAristide Economopoulos/The Star-LedgerSan Francisco's Julia Lynton, who was visiting relatives locally, looks at the work of Jersey City artist Mauro Altamura in the group exhibit Surveillance at the Jersey City Museum, in this 2006 file photo.

JERSEY CITY ? The Jersey City Museum, the anchor for a once-vibrant city arts district and owner of what may be the best contemporary art collection in the state, is so strapped for cash that it can?t keep the lights on.

The storied institution has been rocked by steep cuts in city funding and lackluster donations. As a result, it is behind on mortgage payments for the multi-million renovation completed 10 years ago.

Last year, it shed staff and pulled back on its public hours, but its board was still unable to find financial stability. When a hoped-for partnership with New Jersey City University failed, museum officials decided to close the doors. The museum will remain shuttered, with only an off-site exhibition at the Hudson County Courthouse in the works, officials said.

"These are hard times for the museum," wrote board member Ofelia Garcia in an email because she was out of town and unable to speak.

It is another blow to the visual arts community of Jersey City, which lost many studios when the Powerhouse District closed several years ago. The museum?s collections are varied, but among its 10,000 pieces are contemporary works by African-American, Latino and Asian artists, many with ties to the area.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

? Jersey City Museum cuts hours due to drop in funding from city

? Jersey City Museum, short on money, may be short on visitors, too

? Mini-golf fund-raiser for Jersey City Museum at Hamilton Square

? Jersey City Museum says it's working to stay open, pay debts

? Hair inspires exhibit at Jersey City Museum

An exhibition of works by African-American artists from the museum?s permanent collection is planned to commemorate Black History Month next month at the courthouse, according to Garcia. Meanwhile, she wrote that a "working group from the board" is planning programs "appropriate to the current economic condition: that is a reduced budget for the foreseeable future."

Board president Ben Dineen did not return several messages.

Cuts in city funding have hurt the institution, which was founded in 1901 as part of the Jersey City Public Library. It remained part of the library until 2001, when it moved to its current location, a converted municipal garage at 350 Montgomery St. featuring 38,000 square feet of galleries, classrooms and a theater.

The city provided $625,000 a year between 2007 and 2009 ? almost half of the museum?s $1.3 million of revenue for 2009, according to its federal tax returns. Even with that much city aid, the museum ended 2009 with a $243,000 budget gap.

Jersey City trimmed its annual grant to $500,000 last year. This year, faced with its own budget crisis, the city cut all funding to the institution.

State funding has dried up, too. The New Jersey State Council on the Arts awarded the museum $77,211 in August ? an increase of $5,000 from the previous year ? but the grant came with several restrictions and so far no money has been released. Garcia is chairwoman of the council?s grants committee.

The council required an "updated transitional proposal" and an "executed memorandum of understanding with New Jersey City University" before it would make the first payment. According the arts council, a payment schedule is being developed and the museum continues to update the council on its plans, but "the partnership with the university is no longer the expected path."

Joanne Bruno, NJCU?s vice president for academic affairs, said the museum and university tried to find a way to work together to build on the long-standing relationship between the two institutions. Many university faculty members have pieces in the museum?s collections and the museum has hosted university exhibitions and film series, she said.

But the attempt failed because of "insurmountable fiscal challenges."

"It was really painful, we worked hard. But everything came with a cost that neither party was able to maneuver," Bruno said. "They were in a bad situation when they reached out to us. We want to do it but we can?t make it happen without resources."

The museum borrowed some of the $11 million required to renovate the donated facility, and according to its most recent tax return, it still owes more than $2.9 million on that mortgage.

The building?s 10-year-old air and heating systems need work, according to Garcia.

Between April and August, the museum was only open on Saturday afternoons. It hosted several collections-based exhibits in the fall, and then closed in December for the holidays, as has been the custom for several years. It has been closed to the public ever since.

Despite the uncertainty, Garcia said the museum?s collections are secure.

"The collection is professionally cared for, safe and growing," she wrote, noting that the museum recently received a gift of a painting by Arthur B. Davies. "I just wish we could exhibit more of it."

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011 ... y_museum_closed_agai.html

What a joke - compaired to the museums on the other side of the Hudson, our museum is merely a cozy location for staff to generate an income.

Sell the exhibitions to NY and get a permanent ticket rebate for all JC residents that go over to visit.

I would love to see the proposed Rejected show! I was never a fan of that poorly administered museum and have said so here in the past. Perhaps at the Rejected show the dance group of the above news item could perform?

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Not the only one brewster, but I agree with all you say above.

Middle School 4 Auditorium, has a very comfortable seating of almost 500, excellent sound but unfortunately the klutz company that installed the drop-down screen, didn't center it to the projection. As a result, the screen is at least a foot+ shifted to the right side. However, I've produced several events there over the years since it opened, 3 being film, and used the back wall to project onto which suffices until they ever get that idiot back in to center the screen!

Also, I just learned last night from Jim Legge, photographer, that the folks at the Museum sent out a rejection notice to something like 52 artists, some of the best known, in an email that didn't use bcc, so not only did they all get to see what others, like themselves, got "rejected", but the end result is an art show they are all producing titled, what else but REJECTED!

Jersey City Museum says it's working to stay open, pay debts

Updated: Friday, September 17, 2010, 10:53 AM
Melissa Hayes/The Jersey Journal

A Jersey City Museum official said the non-profit is working to pay vendors and finding funding.

Rimli Roy, the founder of Surati for Performing Arts, attended Wednesday?s City Council meeting to complain that the museum had not paid her organization for performances.

She said the Board of Education gave the museum money for the shows, which were presented to public school children, but she was only paid part of what she is owed.

Late yesterday James Koback, vice president of the Jersey City Museum Board of Trustees, said the museum owes Roy about $25,000 and has paid her $8,000.

?We have made substantial partial payment to Surati and hope to make further payment to them and other vendors and artists on an even-handed basis as our financial condition permits,? Koback said. ?We cannot favor some vendors or artists over others, regardless of their merit or their cultural value.?

Wednesday city Business Administrator John ?Jack? Kelly said he was not recommending the city fund the museum this year. Last year the city gave the museum $500,000, the year before that, $625,000.

City officials met with the museum board in August. The city is facing an $80 million budget deficit.

Koback said that since January and as recently as July the museum was assured the city would provide funding this year.

?We relied on these commitments in our planning, in our discussions with staff, and in our discussions with other funders,? he said. "While we are aware of Mr. Kelly?s recent recommendations, we continue to have conversations with city representatives regarding the promised funding, the future of the Museum and the preservation of the collection which we maintain for the city.?

Kobak said the museum has reorganized its finances and budget, ?to keep the doors open despite the failure of the city to provide promised funding and the difficult economic climate in which many arts groups are closing their doors.?

Kobak said through a small group of staff members and volunteers and artists in Jersey City, the museum has been able to open Wednesday through Saturday noon to 5 p.m. In addition the museum is open by appointment for collection research, special programs and events.

?Our plans to re-emerge included partnering with other institutions,? Kobak said. ?We continue to have conversations with other funders in an effort to provide for the long term viability of the institution and preservation of the collection.?

Jersey City Museum, short on money, may be short on visitors, too

Published: Saturday, August 21, 2010, 7:54 PM Updated: Saturday, August 21, 2010, 8:55 PM
Amy Sara Clark/The Jersey Journal

The Jersey City Museum is not only short on money. If today's attendance is any sort of indication, it's short on visitors, too.

As of 3:45 p.m. today, the museum had only received about 15 visitors, and only two were in the building when a Jersey Journal reporter showed up.

Museum worker Gilbert Rivera said attendance was a little lower than the usual 30 to 40 people on a typical Saturday. And, he added, special events are much more crowded: Thursday's Pro Arts event, drew about 150 people, and 40 showed up for a puppet show earlier in the day.

It could be the perfect 83-degree weather. Or the Puerto Rican Festival on Exchange Place. Or the fact that about half the city is down the shore.

But whatever the reason, this afternoon, the soaring lobby and tasteful galleries were nearly empty.

Eri Shimizu, a 20-year-old art student from Tokyo who is staying at Jersey City's Doubletree Hotel while taking summer classes at The School of Visual Arts, said she noticed the museum while on her way to the mall.

"I love art," she said, so she stopped in.

She was impressed with the Lorenzo Homar works in a second floor gallary. Not so much by the audio-video installation on the first floor, she said.

July Tulin, an art therapist who lives in Jersey City, stopped by for "something to do," she said.

"It used to be such a big collection," she said, looking at the empty walls in the hallway and a closed off gallary. "They deserve funding. It's just sad for the soul."

Due to funding cuts, in April the Jersey City Museum cut its hours from four days a week to just Saturday.

But beginning July 28, the museum reinstated its Wednesday through Saturday, 12-5 p.m. schedule.

The museum's financial problems became apparent last year when both the city cut its funding and state funding was temporarily frozen, causing the staff to launch a membership drive.

The city traditionally gives the museum $625,000. Last year that was reduced to $500,000. The state Council on the Arts allocated $72,160, which was temporarily frozen but later released. The reduction cut the museum's budget from $1.7 million to $1.3 million. ?

But things are not all bad: The arts council just allocated $77,211 to the museum this week and there is an ongoing fundraiser, The Golden Door Mini-Golf Course at 232 Pavonia Ave. in Hamilton Square, designed by artists.

The museum has been running an ongoing fundraiser, The Golden Door Mini-Golf Course at 232 Pavonia Ave. in Hamilton Square, designed by artists. ?

The course is open from 10 a.m. to dusk daily until Labor Day and costs $4 for museum members and $5 for non-members.

Staff Writer Melissa Hayes contributed to this story.

They've got the only nice theater in downtown (as far as I know) and yet have barely used it as a resource to pull in the public and build awareness of the museum. They've hosted a few films, of excruciating obscurity. Had they supported a real program of performing arts and film, perhaps they wouldn't be laboring so.

Who exactly is the anonymous source feeding Paddy Johnson these letters, quotes and ?suggestions? ?
From what I understand , Johnson has close ties to new hire(s) at the museum.


Apparently, ever since the arrival of Laurene Buckley last summer, tension has been brewing between workers. The new hire(s) - and perhaps a disgruntled ?oldtimer? who had wanted more influence under Marion?s tenure- aligned themselves immediately with Buckley, and according to many sources, fed her some unrealistic and impractical ideas.


Buckley, being new to the community, and arguably unwilling to roll up her sleeves and learn independently, seemed highly susceptible to suggestions from sychophants -- part of what arguably made her ineffective as a leader.


In my opinion, Marion and Rocio seemed to run a pretty good ship -- it wasn?t always perfect, but Rocio was always out in the community, meeting artists. Rocio was open to programming with other arts organizations, exhibitions at off-site locations, instituted the JCM Sculpture Satellite, etc. As for Sandy Martiny, the former Education Director, who left JCM last year after a significant paycut, she was a class act . Martiny kept a low-profile, but got things done, seemingly with little drama. Sandy and Rocio also were behind the programs mentioned above (Ben Jones, Calero, many local artists).

In contrast, I have to agree with JC Frankie, the recent Serrano (?Piss Christ?), under the auspices of Buckley and the new hire(s) was pretty pretentious and fawning. And a program asking the public to pay to ?draw? objects on display at the museum? How scintillating.


It is sad to see blame-gaming and fingerpointing at an institution whose mission is to serve and enrich the community (taxpayers are, afterall, funding more than half a million.) Given that many museums derive significant revenue from their public programming, what does it say that the JCM has been unable to make theirs more inviting? Even in the 4 hours it is now open?


I sincerely hope they will turn it around. Cuts in education (no more sports at High Tech/County Prep!), cuts in arts funding (at all non-profits, not just JCM), and the announced tax re-val. . .how many of us will be able to afford living in JC? What will the quality of life be?

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I used to work at MASS MoCA up in North Adams, MA. That museum is situated in a gigantic factory complex in a very depressed Berkshire town far far away from any mass transit hubs. Despite the disadvantages of the location and the surrounding economy, the museum remains a noteworthy contemporary arts facility. Their development team deserves a lot of credit for sustaining funding up there and the Director perhaps even more. As the museum expanded (and still expands) and renovated the old buildings on its campus, every single room, gallery, stairwell, elevator, sometimes even individual walls are up for naming rights. A lot of the museum's other revenue came from renting out office space in corridors of the factory. Granted MASS MoCA has a lot more space to rent out than JCM, but they're also saddled with the immense cost of heating and cooling a gigantic space.

JCM needs to make itself a hub. With such long exhibitions, they need to bring locals back in between openings with cultural events they can attend (at night) and regularly count on. Host more music, movies, plays, whatever. Just make the place more of a center. Development people are a dime a dozen, but they need to find someone with at least a few big connections in NYC. If a museum in Western Mass can stay afloat, JCM should be able to survive with some changes in direction.

The Jersey City Museum in Dire Financial Straits
POST BY PADDY JOHNSON

Jersey City?s only museum showcasing the work of local emerging artists is in dire financial straits. Artists such as Martha Colburn, Amy Wilson, Louis Cameron, Damien Catera have all exhibited at the Jersey City Museum, a public institution with a now uncertain future. On March 30th the museum announced it would slash its hours to only one day a week (Saturday 12-5) to reduce operating costs. That?s not a good sign.

A worse sign is that only a week and a half after that announcement was made someone mailed me a letter from the museum staff directed to the museum?s Board of Trustees, expressing a lack of confidence in the museum?s future. From the document:

As per our last staff meeting with Nathan Sambul on March 3rd, we were told of a 90-day plan to save the museum. Less than two weeks later, we have not been paid for this past pay period and have growing concerns about the future. In spite of this, the JCM staff remains fully dedicated. We deserve to know if the 90-day plan is still in affect and, if so, under what conditions we are expected to serve.

We the staff of Jersey City Museum are concerned about the museum?s well-being and financial situation for the following reasons:

?Jersey City Museum has not made payroll in a timely manner seven times in the last nine months: July 2, Sept. 30, Oct. 9, Dec. 8, Feb. 12, Feb. 25, March 15.
?As of today, March 17th, Jersey City Museum employees have not been paid for the March 15th pay period.
?Jersey City Museum issued bad checks to its employees three of the last five times. Employees were penalized by their banks and employees? personal credit has been affected.
?Jersey City Museum is using revenue generated from program partnerships to supplement payroll.
?Jersey City Museum has encouraged its part-time staff to work unpaid, ?to volunteer services,? in order to oversee and manage its programming.
?Jersey City Museum has encouraged its salaried staff to forgo compensation days to manage and oversee programming.
?Jersey City Museum has not secured new funds since April 2009, and we are concerned that no new funds are on the horizon.
Yikes! This is pretty serious business, so I called everyone I knew at the museum and wrote virtually every staff member who?d ever worked there for statements. Strangely almost no one wanted to talk. The few who would either gave me canned PR responses or would speak only under the condition of anonymity. I also talked to a number of trustee members including the chairman of the board, Nathan Sambul, about whether they had received the letter. No one could confirm its receipt. In response to my questions about the museum?s financial health, Sambul simply said:

The Jersey City Museum, like many other nonprofit institutions, has seen a decrease in its funding, and we have taken appropriate action. On our website, we have clearly laid out our course of action. If you like to report on the Museum, I would hope that you would recommend to your readers to come to the museum and see our fabulous shows.

Although no link was provided, the page Sambul refers to discusses the Museum?s reduced operating hours and a June fundraiser titled ARTrageous. The event asks donors to give between $5 to $5,000, using an artist-designed golf course with the holes as donation markers. This isn?t exactly a plan, though meeting the event?s $90,000 target won?t hurt the museum. When I asked Sambul to confirm that there was no 90-day initiative to save the museum, he refused to comment.

According to many sources, the question of why the museum?s suffering such hard times begins with long time Executive Director Marion Grzesiak and ends with her ineffective replacement Laurene Buckley, who was relieved of the position after just six months.

Grzesiak worked at the museum between 2001 and 2008, and is now at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey. Nearly everyone I spoke to who had worked at the museum during this time complained about ?rampant nepotism?, one anonymous source decried, ?the museum was run like a family business?and most of the staff were not a part of the family or the business.? Said source was speaking specifically of Grzesiak?s hire of her son, James Congregane who was brought on as the front desk manager and soon promoted to Director of Operations. Rocio Aranda-Alvarado, a respected curator at the museum would later marry Congregane, placing three top positions at the museum in one family.

I was told all three received raises in the face of the 2008 cutbacks and over $250,000 in loans but 990 forms for 2005-2008 only list the loan and highest paid positions. Aranda-Alvarado received a nominal raise for that year, totaling $3,158. According to these same records, from 2001-2004 Grzesiak?s pay remained at 90,000, but over the course of the next four years was increased by $32, 263 in salary and benefits. This doesn?t strike me as wholly out of line ? Grzesiak?s salary is still well below any museum executives name recently in the New York Times ?Major Earners? ? though any pay increase in a year of cutbacks and bank loans doesn?t look good. In 2008, Grzesiak received a raise of over $7,500. I was unable to reach her for comment.

Grzesiak?s departure was unfortunate timing for the museum, as it is now burdened with over $250,000 dollars in loans and no experienced fundraiser to pull them out of those straits. It?s unclear why the Board of Trustees appointed Laurene Buckley as her replacement, as I was told she had few contacts in Jersey City and a resume that included being fired from The Queens Museum of Art - according to some - for failing to adequately increase attendance. It was under her leadership, that the Director of Development position was eliminated in January 2010, for a part time grant writer. You know a museum?s in trouble when they lay off the people who ensure the place has enough money to operate. Buckley was let go only three months later according to sources, for failing to raise any money for the museum during the course of her six-month employment.

Buckley also did not return my emails, though one former staff member who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the museum?s troubles were not the result of one person but a perfect storm of events: losing a long time director, weathering the financial crash, and a myriad of other unspecified problems. ?Any not- for-profit who has a successful director for many years, when the director steps down? they fall apart,? the source told me.

Of course, with almost no staff, and no development plan past a $90,000 fundraising campaign it?s hard to know how this is going to happen. The museum hasn?t had a full time curator since Aranda-Alvarado?s departure in 2009, nor, according to sources, an exhibition budget. Not to state the obvious, but that?s a problem. So are the tales of mysteriously disappearing funds and failure to meet payroll that ran though my correspondence with former staff. As of today the Jersey City Museum has not released all employee pay-checks from March.

Still, almost every staff member I talked to spoke with deep commitment to the museum even in the face of murky financial management. ?I am saddened by the thought that the museum might be in trouble and I hope something can be done to save this important community institution,? former employee Sandy Martiny told me over email, later acknowledging her statement was canned. ?It?s actually how I feel about JMC. Call me Pollyanna.? Another spoke with great remorse about the museum?s strong education program. At one time the museum provided tours and workshops based on the museum?s permanent and temporary exhibitions, exposing students to artists such as Xenobia Bailey; Papo Colo; Raphael Ortiz; Chakaia Booker; Ben Jones; William Pope L; Melvin Edwards; Rodriguez Calero. The permanent collection reflects the demographic of Jersey City. Closure would be a huge loss to the public.

Reflecting the dedication I witnessed when speaking to JMC employees, the apparently unsent letter to the board makes these suggestions for moving forward:

We feel employees should be able to confidentially contribute our input to the Board. In addition, here are some of the staff?s suggestions that may help us remain open.

?Jersey City Museum could move to the Beacon location.
?Sell the museum?s third floor to an independent contractor and staff offices can be relocated to the first and second floor.
?Gala committee should expand outside of museum staff to help with fundraising efforts.
?Sell off naming rights for the museum?s galleries.
?Sell off naming rights for seats in the Caroline Guarini Theatre.
?Hire a professional fundraiser who will take a small cut. At this time, there is no one on staff fundraising for the museum.
The JCM staff?s position is that we are not giving up. We do not believe that this situation is the result of one person?s actions. We maintain that this problem is fixable with the right steps and appropriate leadership.

One month later, it?s unclear whether any of these steps have been explored let alone taken.

Anne Johnson contributed reporting to this piece.

http://www.artfagcity.com/2010/04/28/ ... n-dire-financial-straits/

Jersey City Museum cuts hours due to drop in funding from city

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Economic uncertainty and reduced funding from the city has forced The Jersey City Museum to cut back hours to conserve money.

Since April 1, the museum has been operating on a limited schedule and is now open only from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

"As current economic conditions continue to present challenges to art institutions and other non-profit organizations across the country, Jersey City Museum has taken appropriate steps to reduce operating costs and manage expenses," the museum's board of trustees wrote in a letter posted on the museum's Web site.

Galleries will continue to stay open for academic purposes and other research, the letter said.

After being appropriated $625,000 by the city in 2009, the museum was set to receive $562,000 from the city for the 2010 fiscal year.

But city funding was then additionally slashed to $500,000 in the museum's proposed budget for this fiscal year.

The museum will still hold its "Artrageous on the Green" fundraiser on June 23 at Hamilton Square to help boost membership. Artists will design miniature golf holes, which donors can sponsor for anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 a hole.

Nathan Sambul, the museum's board of trustees chair, could not be reached for comment.

PATRICK VILLANOVA

I could almost feel bad about feeling indifferent about the plight of the J.C. Museum. After all I?m a full time painter making a living in the Fine Arts here in Jersey City so you would think I would rally to the cause of the Museum. But you know what? This place just never felt like it was my museum. Who?s museum was it? What were they trying to do? When I went in there I never got the feeling it was a Museum for the people of Jersey City. Who was it a museum for? Apparently the building used to be a municipal parking garage. Now it?s a Museum. The last thing I read in the news was that they were exhibiting an artist that was famous for submerging a crucifix in urine, like 20 years ago. Stay classy Jersey City!

BTW Target will pay for your total admission fee on Saturdays!

============================

On Saturdays, admission is free

Thursday, November 19, 2009

The Jersey City Museum, housed at 350 Montgomery St., is open Wednesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. Children under 12 are free. The museum is open Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m., when admission is free through a partnership with Target.

Membership packages start at $50 for individuals and $80 for families.

There are also packages ranging from $250 to $1,000 that come with other perks like free guest passes, event invitations and recognition.

For more information, visit www.jerseycitymuseum.org.

Jersey City Museum
350 Montgomery Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
201.413.0303

Museum is making do with fewer $$$

Thursday, November 19, 2009
By MELISSA HAYES - JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Corporate donations have plummeted. And now the Jersey City Museum faces another sharp reduction from its biggest supporter: The City of Jersey City.

Jersey City normally provides $625,000 annually to the museum. But this year the city has already cut that amount by 10 percent - and another 10 percent is coming; all of which amounts to a $125,000 slash.

As a result of these reductions, the museum's budget is down from $1.7 million last year to $1.3 million this year, officials said.

"It's been a tough year," said Nancy Shannon, director of development and marking at the museum. "We lost a lot of corporate sponsors."

But this feisty institution, which has become invaluable for thousands of art lovers, is fighting back with an aggressive membership campaign.

In keeping with its artistic heritage, the museum has chosen an iconic image of World War II to symbolize the drive: Rosie the Riveter.

The museum held its first New Members Bash Nov. 12, with about 200 members, including 48 new members. Rosie was featured on the event posters saying, "Roll up your sleeves and party at the Jersey City Museum."

The museum is planning future bashes, hoping increased membership will offset funding cuts and a decline in corporate donations.

The museum has an array of exhibits on display and partners with the school district to offer programming and to showcase young artists.

There's an exhibit celebrating the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's exploration up the river now named for him. It includes the 1820 deed that created Jersey City.

In addition, the Brooklyn Museum has loaned the "Winslow Homer: Illustrating America" exhibit until Dec. 23.

Executive Director Laurene Buckley noted there's a gallery reserved for local artists. Jersey City's Jin Lee has paper artwork on display now.

Yesterday, the museum celebrated the 27th opening of the Jersey City Public Schools' annual "Permanent Student Art Collection," which runs through Dec. 12 and features 35 students artists.

The museum and school district also partner to offer educational programs.

Nancy Healy, the district's supervisor of visual, performing and media arts, said the museum needs public support.

"This is the city's cultural establishment. We need to support it," she said. "The arts touch all of us."