An article in the Washington Post this week highlights one favorable effect of the Corcoran Gallery of Art’s merger with the National Gallery: permanently free admission to the museum collection. As of today, the merger is official, making the Corcoran collection part of the National Gallery, and open to all visitors. (more…)
The New York State Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the The Metropolitan Museum of Art in the controversial case over the museum’s “Pay What You Want” pricing scheme, dismissing a substantial part of the case. Judge Shirley Werner Kornreich ruled on the decision, stating that the museum’s income is used to help fund education programs and other efforts. “For those without means, or those who do not wish to express their gratitude financially, a de minimis contribution of a penny is accepted,” the judge wrote. “Admission to the Met is de facto free for all.” Even with that ruling, the court will review the portion of the case stating that the museum misrepresents itself, leading visitors to believe that they must pay the full $25 price on museum signage. (more…)
Announced this week, the Getty Museum has launched the beginnings of the Open Content Program, a fully catalogued library of over 4,600 hi-resolution images from its personal collection, allowing site visitors to use, modify and publish these images in any capacity. “Artists, students, teachers, writers, and countless others rely on artwork images to learn, tell stories, exchange ideas, and feed their own creativity. In its discussion of open content, the most recent Horizon Report, Museum Edition stated that ‘it is now the mark—and social responsibility—of world-class institutions to develop and share free cultural and educational resources.’ I agree wholeheartedly.” Said J. Paul Getty trust President James Cuno on the Museum’s blog. (more…)
Cooper Union, via Architecture Paper
After almost two years of debate and discussions, The Cooper Union announced yesterday that it will begin charging tuition on a “steeply sliding scale” for undergraduate students. The tuition will range from $20,000 a year to nothing for those with “the greatest needs.”
A past protest at Cooper Union, via NBC
“The time has come to set our institution on a path that will enable it to survive and thrive well into the future,” said Cooper board chairman, Mark Epstein. “Under the new policy, the Cooper Union will continue to adhere to the vision of Peter Cooper, who founded the institution specifically to provide a quality education to those who might not otherwise be able to afford it.”
Students Circle the Cooper Union for a Symbolic Embrace, via New York Times
While the institution has strived to find an alternative to charging tuition, its sizable debts and interest on property and loans has caused major deficits in its endowment. The vote for tuition is an attempt to defray those costs.
Class at Cooper Union, via New York Times
While the tuition still places the school’s cost of attendance well below that of other private art schools, such as the Rhode Island School of Design or Pratt Institute, some fear that the increased price will still encourage inequality among students. “It’s a real tragedy,” said professor Peter Buckley. “It reflects the condition of higher education as a whole. Costs are out of control.”
Read more:
The New York Times
The Wall Street Journal
Japanese clothing company Uniqlo has announced that it will sponsor MoMA’s popular free Friday night series. What’s more, the first 1000 attendees at the company’s first sponsored evening on May 3rd will receive a free tote bag. The sponsorship follows comments by Tadashi Yanai, the chairman of parent company Fast Retailing, that the Museum of Modern Art is his “favorite museum in the world. (more…)
