Question : Answer?
Here I go again with the public, art & education. I can’t help it. I believe …, no, I know it is essential in moving us forward (all of us. That’s why I must believe that museum education=public education).
So I found this presentation for Arthouse’s Texas Prize. And of course there’s the podcasts of the artists’ talks. First, they address museum education solutions. As supporting material, I’m glad they exist and I hope the public uses them after experiencing the work (agreeing with Mr. Zimmerman’s assessment). Secondly, they address the public’s introduction to contemporary artists. In other words, I sees it as another challenge for the Texas Biennial (along with “Cherrypicked”, “Nexus Texas” and “New Art Austin”). Bigger platform and a more diverse toolbox. Let’s see if AMOA will take advantage of going last and implementing successful strategies from the others.
This is kinda an offshoot, but what about the Carver Museum and the MACC? Who cares?
No, really. I read that Austin’s African-American population has shrunk to an all new low. I imagine they are being pushed out just beyond the city limits. And neither museum is in a hi-visibility location. Even though its a stone’s throw away, you can’t even see the MACC when driving on the elevated IH35! So let me redirect that question. Who is visiting these institutions?
Will somebody please think of the children! I agree with the Austin Children’s Museum’s decision. There’s no reason they should trap themselves in a location they will not be able to afford. The way someone else did. I would love to see them move east and help support the cultural centers and establish an eastern annex to our downtown institutions. But where?
Do you feel there is something missing from the map in this article? I do.
I was down at the new park one morning, which by the way is perfect for a nighttime ice cream stroll. So I was at the park and walked up to the top of the mound. Looking around you could see that Austin is a totally different city from ten years ago. New buildings downtown with even newer buildings still sprouting, a new Riverside Drive with less traffic than before, a new Palmer and Long Center, new cement paths perfect for little kids learning to ride bikes and then there’s the DAC.
In my interview with Mel Ziegler just before he left, he mentioned rebuilding the DAC to match the rest of the activity surrounding Town Lake. I say yes. I challenge you to stand on that mound, take a look around and not come to that same conclusion. Look at their programming, what they do, who they serve and tell me that they don’t deserve it.
What’s the next step?
I’ll tell you ’bout what I sees.