The Asheville Art Museum's vision is to transform lives through art. Youre focusing on me and refusing to focus on the problem, Pams leadership inability, Weitzman said. To schedule a group tour please contact us at info@blackmountaincollege.org. This is not a game to me, Weitzman said, adding that she had raised concerns about employee mistreatment with Saenger; with the previous chair, Herbert Butch Patrick Jr.; and with board vice chair Kevin Click, the chair of the human resources committee. Monica Krider, a real estate agent, attended as a guest of Gretchen Lewis, who is also a real estate agent and a museum member. Instead, board member Benites made a motion that Michelle be removed from the board.. It is an age old story. The Museum is moving with awareness and commitment, through assessment, training and engagement, to implementation and accountability. January 23, 2020 POSSIBLE REASONS BEHIND STUDENT VISA REJECTION. An outspoken member of the Asheville Art Museums board, the only current trustee to speak publicly about employee complaints of mistreatment, was recently ousted from the board and removed as a museum volunteer. North Carolina museum exhibiting 20th century American art, Drop into our studio to experiment freely and collaborate using different materials, tools, and techniques! Youre no longer a volunteer.. Foundation Directors Warren Stephens, Chair Ben Hussman, Vice-Chair George O'Connor, Treasurer Victoria Ramirez, Secretary John Ed Anthony Terri Erwin Michael Mayton Harriet Stephens Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. Can I help pay off kids school lunch debts? A woman Weitzman identified as Lindsay Rosson, director of finance and operations at the museum, removed Kriders wine glass from her hand and asked her to leave, according to Weitzman, Krider and Lewis. If youre able, please consider supporting the Museum through a donation; by becoming a Museum Member, renewing your membership early, or upgrading your current membership; or by shopping or purchasing a gift card in the Museum Store. Thats absurd, Krider said. Just so completely out-of-control simply outrageous. The building is beautiful. So it makes me ill and incensed to think that behind those excellent exhibits lies an abusive work environment that has gone on for years, unchallenged by the very people whose job it is to resolve such matters. Deja vu all over again! To engage, enlighten, and inspire individuals and enrich community through dynamic experiences in American art of the 20th and 21st centuries. Its our responsibility to promote the health of the museum and its mission. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. So we tear down the Vance Monument but leave the Queen of the Glass Palace in place? for dates. always works better. An opening reception will be held 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15. In addition to teaching violin and piano at AMS on a part-time basis since 2008, she has been a performing musician for over 35 years. I BET she does since, as the story states, she has packed the board with her supporters. And the sycophants & lickspittles fawning over her psyche & clamoring on how theyve been emotionally upset by this icky reality thing. People must stand up to workplace bullies from the start. Few outside the museum noticed when, this spring, five board members one-fourth of the trustees resigned. What, because I spoke up? she said. We have never censored or disciplined a trustee for expressing differing views or opinions. The old powers get nervous and forget decency, all in the name of saving the good work weve done when its actually their own egos theyre defending and their positions of prestige and public notice theyre clinging to. This responsibility overrides all styleand I never heard anyone speak with such divine right, Krider said. Cancel culture?!?! In charge of it all is a board of trustees with full authority over the museum's affairs, and one that operates out of public view, often yielding to the will of its long-time executive director, Pamela Myers. Weitzman said she wanted to make clear that she was not the one confronting Myers at the party. This is what was decided seven years ago, and it is the same today.. Does Pam have the museum board over a barrel, given all the board member remarks about all the money she brings in? She is the Treasurer of the Mid America Print Council executive board 2022-2024, and resides in Asheville NC with the goal of bringing a bit of Print League KC to the Blue Ridge Mountains by opening another community print shop. We hope youll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. I think this cancel culture has gone so totally out of control, and I think thats exactly what Michelle is dealing with, Zahler said, not recognizing the fact that all the good work that had gone on before, that there was an issue, and because of that, Pam should be canceled. I, and another board member, opposed the contract because of the directors extreme salary and benefits while maintaining a toxic working environment ($242K this year with a $35K bonus if shes still here next month). The salary is probably in line with what other people at that level get paid, and Im sure that there are more than enough private donations to cover her salary so that no tax-payer dollars are used. She said that former employees had told her, unsolicited, that they were still experiencing nightmares, PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] and continual therapy from their experience working at the museum. And AAM gets that money whether or not students go. The work environment is beyond toxic, Huff and Green wrote in a 2021 summary. The word used by three former staff is traumatic. , Kevin Click, the board vice-chair and a former human resources executive, said in a written response to questions from Asheville Watchdog that Myers has been very positive about the coaching and feedback she is receiving.. Sign in with a password below, or sign in using your email. Shall I bring my dull wit writ upon signage to the entrance to the museum to start protesting? What, because I spoke up? she said. A vibrant arts scene, creative restaurants and beer galore dazzle in this Southern jewel of a city. Just because a person is adept at fundraising does not make them suited to be an executive director who directly manages (a fluctuating number of) employees. It is well-past time for the Board of Trustees of the Asheville Art Museum to remove Pam Myers as Executive Director. The Museums staff and board of trustees want to hear from you. Saenger then polled the trustees. Hoping AAM administrators will learn from the internal and external feedback and make changes for the good of their employees and the city. Its not even just about the people who work there who were hurt by someones tactics and approach, Krider said. I hardly said anything. Saenger told Asheville Watchdog that as far as he knew, the museum, established in 1948, had never removed a trustee. Saenger responded, We do not believe it would be appropriate to share incident reports or security videos., Sarah Reincke, president of the Docents Association before Weitzman and a former trustee, said she believes the board was trying to find any excuse to rid themselves of a Trustee who consistently voiced valid opinions the Executive Committee refused to consider., Reincke said Weitzman was not the person who reprimanded Pam at the party, and she is not responsible for how another person expresses an opinion., The board used the actions of a third party as cause for Michelles dismissal, further proof, Reincke said, of the museums dysfunctional leadership., In a statement to Asheville Watchdog, Saenger wrote that the museum does not comment on trustees who leave the organization., If the board feels it necessary to ask a trustee to step down before the end of their normal term, it is not a matter we take lightly, but with the best interest of the museum in mind, Saenger wrote. Open Wednesdays 11am6pm | Reserve tickets now. I would like to also point out that the Museum has not had an official Curator since shortly after reopening in 2019. Krider said that she was disturbed by what she had read in the Watchdog story. Saenger responded in an Aug. 9 email that while it is important that trustees are informed as to staffing needs, etc., personal details are restricted by state and federal policy.. Well certainly take everything you had to say to heart, Michelle, as we always have, Saenger said. The number of staff that many principals manage far outweighs the art museum staff. Reports by employees of mistreatment, and authoritarian management should always be regarded and investigated. I cautioned you on direct contact with staff, Saenger wrote. A salary of $167,000 of taxpayer funds could be partially allocated to the leadership of our schools. It is lazy. But the culture of fear in employees, the morale and the attrition is horrendous., In ticking off Weitzmans pattern of disruptive behavior at Tuesdays board meeting, Saenger, the chair, said, I dont see in any way how this benefits anyone or anything about the museum.. from the museum in Asheville. To view financial information and our governance, please visit our Finance and Governance page. The Museum invites you to explore our outstanding Collection of American art of the 20th and 21st centuries and to discover the richness of Western North Carolinas unique artistic history. Our Asheville Art Museum is a nonprofit founded by artists. Imperious , high handed acts rarely work well. I showed her where Pam was, Weitzman said. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. becoming a Museum Member, renewing your membership early, or upgrading your current membership. Sally Kestin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter. In addition to the regular board meetings, the board holds work sessions one week prior to the regular . The majority of current and former employees could share profusely regarding Pams managerial style. In 1955 Jorge Fick became one of the few students to receive an official degree from Black Mountain College, attending from 1952 to 1955. Three of the board members who resigned in May, including Huff and Green, told The Watchdog the treatment of employees and the boards response was a factor in their decision to leave. A few wine-drunk, middle-aged ladies bickering back and forth is the most hostile situation youve ever been in? Got it. Is there not something to this? Huff said. Candace Reilly, one of six former employees who complained to the trustees in 2015, told Asheville Watchdog the board had a chance to do the right thing, but chose to support Myers. I am not the least surprised by anything I have recently read about her managerial style. I cautioned you on direct contact with staff, Saenger wrote. Youre no longer a volunteer.. The board has stood by Myers, 65, largely crediting her with raising $30 million in a capital campaign that spanned well over a decade. She said the foundation of the museum was not its collections but rather the people who make the everyday possible. Alas, Ms. Weitzman is no longer there as a gadfly. How do we get rid of Myers and her bootlickers on the Board? Saenger then polled the trustees. Money. Weitzman said a museum patron, Monica Krider, had wanted to share her thoughts with Pam about the Watchdog story. If her only merit is that of a fundraiser, perhaps additional questions should be asked. Sherrill Roland November 18, 2022-March 20, 2023 This is the inevitable -but alas very predictable- retribution for the curtain being pulled aside by the Asheville Watchdog expose. He said Weitzman had disrupted board meetings and had inappropriate communications with staff. Asheville Watchdog spoke separately with Weitzman, Lewis, and Krider the day after the event. Asked for comment, Benites wrote that after significant discussion the board had decided to have all communications be with the chair.. I would hope that they have more skills and resources to deal with conflict than exclusion. Having worked in a variety of jobs for a variety of cultural institutions, I have observed how success attributed to a single individual can have unanticipated consequences. I wrote recommendations, and I was dismissed, so I went through proper channels before putting my name and my reputation in the public view, Weitzman said. Comprised of artwork created from 2016 to the present, Sherrill Roland: Sugar, Water, Lemon Squeeze reflects on making something from nothing, lemonade from lemons, the best of a situation. I think they felt threatened anyway, physically, and they were verbally attacked., Saenger allowed Weitzman an opportunity to respond at the board meeting before she was banished. Nonprofit journalism in the public interest. enge Executive Committee actions . And Im sorry to say, Michelle, youre no longer on the board. The board has stood by Myers, 65, largely crediting her with raising $30 million in a capital campaign that spanned well over a decade. Few outside the museum noticed when, this spring, five board members one-fourth of the trustees resigned. I believe suing the Asheville Art Museum Board of Trustees for willful and ongoing negligence in regard to their statutory obligations is probably the most expedient avenue forward here. But some trustees felt the board should do more, such as hire an administrator to run the day-to-day operations and free Myers to focus on fundraising and larger issues. Weitzman was part of a group who had gathered on the second floor to talk when Krider, whom Weitzman said she had just met, said shed like to speak with Pam Myers, according to Weitzman. Utilizing the current building footprint of the Museum, this environmentally friendly project includes the historic preservation of the Museums current North Wing (the 1926 Pack Library building), renovation of prior Museum spaces, and new construction to transform current disparate spaces into a cohesive, coherent, and inviting Museum. In one email to Click, the chair of the human resources committee, and then board chair Butch Patrick, Weitzman wrote that fear of being fired has created a large morale deficit compounded by the inability to speak up., She asked for immediate action and wrote that there have been issues and concerns for a long period of time.. Benites said he was terribly distressed by the incident at the party. The board twice brought in an executive coach, but staff complaints about Myers's management style persisted. Open daily 11am6pm. Asheville Art Museum. After the meeting, Weitzman told Asheville Watchdog she believed her removal was retribution for challenging the museums leadership. I wrote recommendations, and I was dismissed, so I went through proper channels before putting my name and my reputation in the public view, Weitzman said. Krider said she asked Myers about the Watchdog story, and Myers declined to discuss it, saying, according to Krider, Youre in my house.. Newark Liberty International Airport (IATA: EWR, ICAO: KEWR, FAA LID: EWR), originally Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport straddling the boundary between the cities of Newark in Essex County and Elizabeth in Union County, New Jersey.Located about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) south of downtown Newark, it is a major gateway to points in Europe . For the record, I am canceling my membership. He said an Asheville Watchdog investigative story last week, in which Weitzman was quoted supporting ex-employees who complained of a toxic workplace, had tainted the image of the museum., As a final straw, Saenger said, Pamela Myers, the museums executive director, and a couple of others were threatened at a museum party the night of Nov. 10. Weitzman said at the meeting she was being punished for standing up against the mistreatment of employees. All I can say is this is not the museum that I have known and loved for so long.. Through his work, Roland engages visitors in dialogues around community, social contract, identity, biases, and other deeply human experiences. The Asheville Art Museum's vision is to transform lives through art. Is there not something to this? Huff said. I totally agree, David. This Board is lacking in their duties to the future of this Museum if they do not address an obviously toxic environment. How could they even try with the firewall built around Pam? The argument is that she has consistently failed at other very vital parts of her job and the Board has been relatively inefficient at addressing them seriously and effectively. When will these leaders ever learn that a toxic environment doesnt benefit the institution. The Asheville Art Museum presents exhibitions and public programs based on its permanent Approved by Board of Directors: January 2014. In charge of it all is a board of trustees with full authority over the museum's affairs, and one that operates out of public view, often yielding to the will of its long-time executive director, Pamela Myers. Late-night Thursdays until 9pm; closed Tuesdays. We engage, enlighten and inspire individuals, and enrich community through American art of the 20th and 21st centuries. An outspoken member of the Asheville Art Museum's board, the only current trustee to speak publicly about employee complaints of mistreatment, was ousted from the board Tuesday and removed as a museum volunteer. The normal length of the meeting is two hours. Krider, according to Weitzman, continued with her rant about a terrible way to run an organization.. Do we only care about rectifying injustices from long ago? The Asheville Art Museum is a private nonprofit 501c3 (not public). She said the foundation of the museum was not its collections but rather the people who make the everyday possible. Thanks for publication but from my experience in NYC museums are famous for being toxic. She urged her fellow trustees to ask for Myerss resignation and to find a new executive director. Never miss an update by signing up for our free Watchdog News Alerts, delivered directly to your inbox. Sunday Funday the Old-Fashioned Way! Its not even just about the people who work there who were hurt by someones tactics and approach, Krider said. / Photo by Mark-Ellis Bennett Mark-Ellis Bennett David Huff Creative The view of the Asheville Art Museum as seen from Pack Square. I tried to stand in front of Pam. Rebel/Re-Belle: Exploring Gender, Agency, and Identity | Selections from the Asheville Art Museum and Rubell Museum combines works from two significant collections of contemporary art to explore how artists have innovated, influenced, interrogated, and inspired visual culture in the past 100 years. The Museum was founded in 1948, and weve had many wonderful years of growth. Thorough and revealing (and entertaining!). Read more about the new building. She said the foundation of the museum was not its collections but rather the people who make the everyday possible. It is a cornerstone in this art-rich town that we can all be very proud of.. The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. After getting a million or more from the City, is the Art Museum still enjoying public funding? Visit a chosen artwork in the galleries for inspiration, then, Steve Lapointes nine years of classical piano as a youth grounded him in music theory. Clear enough? Healthy and productive debates are beneficial to any organization., Saenger also wrote that the board has complete confidence in Pam., This team, led by Pam, has built an outstanding institution, Saenger wrote. Kate Meehan, Idaho National Laboratory. Workers are expendable. Weitzman addressed the incident at the party by saying it occurred at the end of the evening with very few guests at the museum.. I liken this behavior to what the vandals are doing defacing the museum, Saenger said. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. Asheville, NC 28801 Mailing Address PO Box 1717 Asheville, NC 28802-1717 Phone 828.253.3227 Art Inquiries For exhibition proposals, information about artworks, or artwork donations, click here for more information. Rep. Hudson Introduces National Reciprocity of Concealed Carry. The museum held a member appreciation party Nov. 10, the day after the Watchdog story appeared. We need a Museum that honors art handlers, curators, communications staff, docents, program leaders, and community builders alike. asheville art museum board of directors. Krider, according to Weitzman, continued with her rant about a terrible way to run an organization.. An Asheville Museum of Art board member and volunteer docent who spoke publicly about allegations of worker mistreatment at the museum has been ousted from her post, the Asheville. What I find to be the most concerning is the salary of the director at approximately $167,000 of taxpayer funds. Op Ed published on 9/29/13 in the Asheville Citizen Times City Wise to Invest in Museum Expansion. Saenger responded in an Aug. 9 email that while it is important that trustees are informed as to staffing needs, etc., personal details are restricted by state and federal policy.. But it was Krider, not Weitzman, who confronted Myers in front of board member Robert Benites. Weitzman, who until Tuesday had also been a volunteer docent leading tours of the museum, engaged in a pattern of disruptive behavior, Saenger said in the meeting. Contact her at skestin@avlwatchdog.org. The goal of these articles is to challenge the Board to do just that. The Asheville Art Museum is committed to being an active leader against racism. Inappropriate behavior? Weitzman said she wanted to make clear that she was not the one confronting Myers at the party. Do they have any idea how embarrassing their behavior is? 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