proufo
04-17-2004, 04:19 AM
Sorry for the bit of politics.
Dear Friends,
It seems the United States wants to fund it's pernicious war in Iraq, at
the expense of closing down it's own cultural institutions at home
(among many other things of course). I some how don't get it. Sorry
friends! with that sort of a strategy you already lost that war before
it's even over. The moment you start to close down your houses of
culture at home to fund war abroad, the barbarians are already installed
in your backyards.
I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat, I do not even vote in the
United States, I do not have a voice in what goes on in your country
other than it is populated with a lot of very dear and good friends,
people who I respect and admire very much. People who have contributed
to world culture in small or large measures and who enrich our lives and
make this planet a more respectful place to live in. Out of gratitude
towards them and out of the need to see that their contributions may
continue flowing unabatted, I am taking the liberty to send you, our
readers of ZoneZero, this email so that you consider to help saving the
California Museum of Photography in Riverside from being closed down
because of budgetary cuts, by writing the Chancellor according to the
letter as mentioned below. Please read the full report by Jonathan
Green, Director of the Museum, so that you can judge for yourself what
the facts are.
Respectfully yours,
Pedro Meyer
Photographer and Publisher
ZoneZero
======================================== =========
Dear Friends,
Today I sent the following letter to Chancellor Córdova. I urge you to take
a minute to also write to her asking her to review and reverse the announced
cuts which will essentially close down the museum. Her email is
france.cordova@ucr.edu.
I know that over the years UCR/CMP has enriched the community and the
university and has been a strong component in the intellectual and cultural
life of Riverside and Southern California.
I ask you to voice your support and help retain this important institution.
Cheers,
Jonathan
======================================== =========
Sent April 13, 2004:
Dear France,
Since its beginning over 30 years ago UCR/California Museum of Photography
has provided students at the university and scholars from around the world
with a world class academic and exhibition program, has reached out to the
community with a model public education program, and has assembled an
extraordinary collection of photographs, historical objects and artifacts to
form an institution that has become one of America's outstanding small art
museums.
Because of the university's belief in the museum, the generous support of
the citizens of Riverside, and strong support from national and federal
foundations and agencies, UCR/CMP is now known the world-over as a research
and exhibition facility and workshop where students, artists, scholars,
faculty, and the public can work, experiment and interact. Its presence at
UCR has provided a professional environment for student and faculty
research, brought the worldıs most important photographic artists to the
university, and promoted and advanced artistic, visual and humanistic
discourse. The museum has become an integral part of the universityıs and
community's intellectual life.
During the last decade, the museum has achieved the universityıs goal of
world-class excellence and visibility. The museum has curated exhibitions
seen by millions of people around the globe in over 15 countries, has
collaborated with Sony IMAX on films that have promoted the universityıs
name worldwide, established a web site that receives over 350,000 hits each
day, regularly garnered commentary in the national press ranging from the
Los Angeles Times to the New York Times, and drawn close to $3 million in
outside support.
But if the cuts announced to us last week are implemented, the California
Museum of Photography will have to essentially close its doors to both the
academic program and to the community. Over the last decade, because of a
series of ongoing budget cuts that began in the early 90s the museum--which
once had a staff of 12--has achieved its prominence with an exceedingly
small but dedicated staff of 8: a staff smaller than any comparable
University of California museum. As of January 2004, the full compliment of
museum staff of 8 has been reduced to 6. The announcement last week that we
would be cut another 3 positions or 40% from our current budget makes it
impossible for the museum program as it is now known to continue.
The museum has been extraordinarily successful in fundraising. Indeed, as a
facility that receives no UCR program funds, the museum has raised all funds
needed to cover projects and exhibitions. But raising funds takes people.
And awards are based on the strength of programs. With the announced cuts
the museum will have neither the programs nor the staff to continue.
More than this, because our current $230,000 in Federal awards (not
including the $500,000 Save Americaıs Treasures award) is matched against
current staff, letting key staff go will mean our inability to match these
funds, and the museum will be forced to forfeit these grants. Further, it is
difficult to imagine that the fundraising for the Culver Center will be
successful when its neighboring UCR institution, UCR/CMP, will be closed
except for very limited hours.
The University has a societal, legal and moral obligation to protect and
conserve its collections: particularly the inestimable Keystone-Mast Stereo
Glass Plate Collection; and the University of Californiaıs Ansel Adamıs Fiat
Lux Collection. However, under the new budget the collections will no longer
be open to the public and will only be accessible to scholars on a very
limited basis. Enough funding remains in the museumıs accounts to provide a
limited exhibition program next year for shows to which the museum has made
previous commitments. These exhibitions would be opened to the public only
two days a week. Because of lack of staff and lack of a curator, no further
exhibitions will be planned, neither will faculty have access to the
facility for exhibitions or programs. Considering the safety of the
collections and the limited staff, all non-museum use of the building, such
as hosting other academic functions, university events and public
activities, will cease. The museumıs public and community programs will
cease, the Digital Studio will close, and the museumıs forthcoming summer
commitment to the cityıs Upward Bound program will be eliminated. Because
the museumıs web site is the most visited photography web site in the world
and a rich resource of visual practices, material and curriculum, an attempt
will be made to continue this web siteıs presence.
It is indeed alarming that the most prominent jewel in the UCRıs cultural
and artistic presence should be so diminished. I most respectfully ask you
to review and reverse this plan. The pull back in state funds has certainly
produced a very difficult situation for the university. The museum is more
than willing to take its fair share of the 7.5% cut. But a 40% cut will be
catastrophic.
I know that you recognize the museumıs importance to students and to the UCR
community. I hope you will to find a way to ensure the continuation of this
key UCR facility and national treasure.
Sincerely,
Jonathan
~~~~
Jonathan Green, Director
UCR/California Museum of Photography
University of California, Riverside
Riverside CA 92521
909.787.4787 UCR/CMP
909.787.5191 Direct
909.787.4797 Fax
jonathan.green@ucr.edu
http://www.cmp.ucr.edu
Dear Friends,
It seems the United States wants to fund it's pernicious war in Iraq, at
the expense of closing down it's own cultural institutions at home
(among many other things of course). I some how don't get it. Sorry
friends! with that sort of a strategy you already lost that war before
it's even over. The moment you start to close down your houses of
culture at home to fund war abroad, the barbarians are already installed
in your backyards.
I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat, I do not even vote in the
United States, I do not have a voice in what goes on in your country
other than it is populated with a lot of very dear and good friends,
people who I respect and admire very much. People who have contributed
to world culture in small or large measures and who enrich our lives and
make this planet a more respectful place to live in. Out of gratitude
towards them and out of the need to see that their contributions may
continue flowing unabatted, I am taking the liberty to send you, our
readers of ZoneZero, this email so that you consider to help saving the
California Museum of Photography in Riverside from being closed down
because of budgetary cuts, by writing the Chancellor according to the
letter as mentioned below. Please read the full report by Jonathan
Green, Director of the Museum, so that you can judge for yourself what
the facts are.
Respectfully yours,
Pedro Meyer
Photographer and Publisher
ZoneZero
======================================== =========
Dear Friends,
Today I sent the following letter to Chancellor Córdova. I urge you to take
a minute to also write to her asking her to review and reverse the announced
cuts which will essentially close down the museum. Her email is
france.cordova@ucr.edu.
I know that over the years UCR/CMP has enriched the community and the
university and has been a strong component in the intellectual and cultural
life of Riverside and Southern California.
I ask you to voice your support and help retain this important institution.
Cheers,
Jonathan
======================================== =========
Sent April 13, 2004:
Dear France,
Since its beginning over 30 years ago UCR/California Museum of Photography
has provided students at the university and scholars from around the world
with a world class academic and exhibition program, has reached out to the
community with a model public education program, and has assembled an
extraordinary collection of photographs, historical objects and artifacts to
form an institution that has become one of America's outstanding small art
museums.
Because of the university's belief in the museum, the generous support of
the citizens of Riverside, and strong support from national and federal
foundations and agencies, UCR/CMP is now known the world-over as a research
and exhibition facility and workshop where students, artists, scholars,
faculty, and the public can work, experiment and interact. Its presence at
UCR has provided a professional environment for student and faculty
research, brought the worldıs most important photographic artists to the
university, and promoted and advanced artistic, visual and humanistic
discourse. The museum has become an integral part of the universityıs and
community's intellectual life.
During the last decade, the museum has achieved the universityıs goal of
world-class excellence and visibility. The museum has curated exhibitions
seen by millions of people around the globe in over 15 countries, has
collaborated with Sony IMAX on films that have promoted the universityıs
name worldwide, established a web site that receives over 350,000 hits each
day, regularly garnered commentary in the national press ranging from the
Los Angeles Times to the New York Times, and drawn close to $3 million in
outside support.
But if the cuts announced to us last week are implemented, the California
Museum of Photography will have to essentially close its doors to both the
academic program and to the community. Over the last decade, because of a
series of ongoing budget cuts that began in the early 90s the museum--which
once had a staff of 12--has achieved its prominence with an exceedingly
small but dedicated staff of 8: a staff smaller than any comparable
University of California museum. As of January 2004, the full compliment of
museum staff of 8 has been reduced to 6. The announcement last week that we
would be cut another 3 positions or 40% from our current budget makes it
impossible for the museum program as it is now known to continue.
The museum has been extraordinarily successful in fundraising. Indeed, as a
facility that receives no UCR program funds, the museum has raised all funds
needed to cover projects and exhibitions. But raising funds takes people.
And awards are based on the strength of programs. With the announced cuts
the museum will have neither the programs nor the staff to continue.
More than this, because our current $230,000 in Federal awards (not
including the $500,000 Save Americaıs Treasures award) is matched against
current staff, letting key staff go will mean our inability to match these
funds, and the museum will be forced to forfeit these grants. Further, it is
difficult to imagine that the fundraising for the Culver Center will be
successful when its neighboring UCR institution, UCR/CMP, will be closed
except for very limited hours.
The University has a societal, legal and moral obligation to protect and
conserve its collections: particularly the inestimable Keystone-Mast Stereo
Glass Plate Collection; and the University of Californiaıs Ansel Adamıs Fiat
Lux Collection. However, under the new budget the collections will no longer
be open to the public and will only be accessible to scholars on a very
limited basis. Enough funding remains in the museumıs accounts to provide a
limited exhibition program next year for shows to which the museum has made
previous commitments. These exhibitions would be opened to the public only
two days a week. Because of lack of staff and lack of a curator, no further
exhibitions will be planned, neither will faculty have access to the
facility for exhibitions or programs. Considering the safety of the
collections and the limited staff, all non-museum use of the building, such
as hosting other academic functions, university events and public
activities, will cease. The museumıs public and community programs will
cease, the Digital Studio will close, and the museumıs forthcoming summer
commitment to the cityıs Upward Bound program will be eliminated. Because
the museumıs web site is the most visited photography web site in the world
and a rich resource of visual practices, material and curriculum, an attempt
will be made to continue this web siteıs presence.
It is indeed alarming that the most prominent jewel in the UCRıs cultural
and artistic presence should be so diminished. I most respectfully ask you
to review and reverse this plan. The pull back in state funds has certainly
produced a very difficult situation for the university. The museum is more
than willing to take its fair share of the 7.5% cut. But a 40% cut will be
catastrophic.
I know that you recognize the museumıs importance to students and to the UCR
community. I hope you will to find a way to ensure the continuation of this
key UCR facility and national treasure.
Sincerely,
Jonathan
~~~~
Jonathan Green, Director
UCR/California Museum of Photography
University of California, Riverside
Riverside CA 92521
909.787.4787 UCR/CMP
909.787.5191 Direct
909.787.4797 Fax
jonathan.green@ucr.edu
http://www.cmp.ucr.edu