Rochelle Riley: Continue to bankroll the Wright Museum

[NickCharles]

The solution is obvious.
The museum, apparently, is not generating enough revenue to keep on keepin' on. The city of Detroit has a long line of very immediate physical needs that it needs to address before sweating existential blood over cultural aspirations.
Gaseous, silly pronouncements that attempt to make it out to be some philosophical battle involving "truth & reconciliation" vs. "popcorn & swag" are fine for endless bar-room debates held over multiple pitchers, but Detroit ran out of that kind of time many years ago.
If the museum is losing more money than it's bringing in, and no benevolent philanthropist is stepping up, with an assist, to keep its doors open, it should close down.
There is no shortage, around here, of folks who harbor a plethora of ideas-- fantasies, perhaps-- about how things should be, could be, etc.
The shortage, as always, is evident when it comes down to the question, "so who is going to pay for it?"
Fanciful notions of how important it is to maintain a record of African-American history may be well-meant, but benevolent intent has no redeemable cash value.
It's losing money, but you want it to be open?
Pay up, or shut up.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Your solution isn't a solution at all.

I didn't mean to propose a solution. Obviously, most museums are subsidized through either government or charity. I do think if more people visited [[locals and tourists alike), more people would donate directly or businesses sponsor exhibits and programs.

I think this museum should appeal to enough people [[and not just black people) that it could raise the money.

[antongast]

Why wouldn't people of all backgrounds appreciate black history/culture.

I don't have a pat theoretical explanation for why they wouldn't, but in my experience they largely don't.

[Pam]

If that's the purpose of the museum, then why it is located in Detroit as opposed to Washington DC, where it would benefit from the millions of tourists who go there specifically to visit museums like that? The Holocaust museum gets 15,000,000 visitors annually.

Other than Detroit being a majority black city, what sense does it make to locate such a museum here? It sure as hell isn't because the local government is such a reliable fiscal benefactor. Michigan was never a slave state. At least DC, in addition to being a majority black city, has a geographical and historical connection to the age of slavery.

It's located in Detroit because it was started by a Detroiter:

http://thewright.org/visit/about-the-museum

[Hermod]

We're all taught the evils of slavery in school, so good luck trying to get Joe Sixpack from Brighton to spend a weekend teaching his children apparently how evil white people are. There is just a bit too much guilt for it to be truly a multi-cultural experience.

Since a high percentage of Joe Sixpacks in the metro area are descendants of people who arrived in the US after slavery was outlawed, a lot of them resent being saddled with the guilt for American slavery 1619-1865.

[NickCharles]

"Should/could," "wouldn't/don't," shake out all of the hypotheses in whatever pairings may seem suitable, but the Bottom Line seldom changes; as soon as the question, "so who is going to pay for it?" hits the floor, a rush to the exits begins.
It's quite easy to jump into an internet forum, flapping one's arms, and wail about how important it is to keep the Wright museum open, but meanwhile, there are people who are worrying about whether or not an ambulance will be able to make it down their street, or if their call will even be answered.
So, again: put up, or shut up.
If your answer is theoretical, philosophical, or hypothetical, you have no useful answer and are disqualified.

[Detroit Stylin]

I'm just like wow at this discussion....smmfh.....

Some of these responses are the VERY REASON why this museum needs to remained funded and I know i'd be right if I were say that the ones crying about or questioning the existence of the museum are not even of African descent....

[Honky Tonk]

I'm just like wow at this discussion....smmfh.....

Some of these responses are the VERY REASON why this museum needs to remained funded and I know i'd be right if I were say that the ones crying about or questioning the existence of the museum are not even of African descent....

I'm sure once the African descent support money comes rolling in for the Museum, the yearly $1 mil burden put on Detroit taxpayers will be alleviated.

[Detroit Stylin]

I'm sure once the African descent support money comes rolling in for the Museum, the yearly $1 mil burden put on Detroit taxpayers will be alleviated.

Smh yep it must be nice to have that type of privilege to where one feel they have a right to dictate whether the fate of a museum dedicated to another groups culture simply because they don't see the importance of it. But then again I do tend to forget the mindset of some of the members of this forum....

How silly of my uppity self to feel some kind of way oh lawdy!


Privilege has its privileges eh?

[Honky Tonk]

Smh yep it must be nice to have that type of privilege to where one feel they have a right to dictate whether the fate of a museum dedicated to another groups culture simply because they don't see the importance of it. But then again I do tend to forget the mindset of some of the members of this forum....

How silly of my uppity self to feel some kind of way oh lawdy!


Privilege has its privileges eh?

I totally agree with you about people feeling "privileged", and the "mindset" of some of the members of this forum, by golly. Jeepers, How dare I not feel an obligation to support something that isn't being supported by the people who and for it was designed? It most certainly must be racism on my part. Eh?

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

It is possible to be for or against a museum subsidy [[or any other public spending) without racial motivation. I favor the museum and a phase out of the subsidy.

[gnome]

Anybody have any idea how to stop people from not going?

i have been there three times, I have enjoyed seeing the exact same exhibits three times. I would even go again.

how about this? Somebody organize a meet-up, then we can see who really cares.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Anybody have any idea how to stop people from not going?

Let's not don't tell 'em that if they go they won't not be charged!

[gnome]

I feel the same pain when it rains especially while standing in the shadow of love and hearing it through the grapevine.

[Honky Tonk]

3 times? You must be new in the City. I've been there dozens of times, brought first time visitors with me, [[white ones!) and love the place. However, a lot can be done to increase fundage by innovative, proper, management, without depending on someone to provide "bacon".

[Zacha341]

Granted, a few years back there was some stagnation in adding new exhibitions and shows, withstanding the core items that do not change [[similar to core exhibits and installations that also DO NOT change at the DIA and Historical Museum).

IMO, in the past the CHWMAAH self-promotions been lacking. They relied somewhat heavily on a small core of big spending/ well heeled events to bring in moneys along with the standard funding as the other museums did. Phones were not always answered and web site not updating as quickly as should be.

This has been addressed. As a regular attendee [[for all kinds of events, exhibits, meetings, film reviews, dinners and weddings) I can say that the newest director has been on top of keeping new exhibits and events relevant, inclusive and well promoted. There is greater outreach to the community at large and hosting meetings at the museum has helped in promotion.

The CHWMAAH hangs a larger promotion banner of its new exhibits/ shows along the east facade of the building as the DIA does on its front entry way. The site is updated regularly. One perhaps not so well knows gem of the museum is a wonderful auditorium/ theater hosting many events re. the arts, education, social culture and history.

As recent as last night: Aspiring teen director, producer Luke Jaden, 17 a senior at Detroit Country Day School showcased an indie film on John Brown “Madman or Martyr”.

I'm not arguing that the CHWMAAH funding not be addressed fairly reflecting the cities fiscal situation. It must be.

But the museum does serve more than one racial demographic, relative to participants and support.

Anybody have any idea how to stop people from not going?

i have been there three times, I have enjoyed seeing the exact same exhibits three times. I would even go again.

how about this? Somebody organize a meet-up, then we can see who really cares.

[aj3647]

It's located in Detroit because it was started by a Detroiter:

http://thewright.org/visit/about-the-museum

So if he was from Marquette, it would have made sense to locate the museum there? Plus the museum switched locations in the 80's, so it obviously wasn't somehow magically tied to its original spot.

This museum, if located in DC instead of Detroit, could easily get 10x or more the number of visitors each year. And if it were in DC, such a museum possibly could have gotten federal dollars to subsidize it much as the Holocaust museum does.

[Richard]

The museum promotes itself as "the world's largest institution dedicated to the African American experience." With the National Museum of African American History now under construction on the Mall in Washington, which is part of the Smithsonian, I believe the Wright is doomed. To become more relevant it needs to reinvent itself and focus on local African American history in Detroit. i.e. the underground railroad, jazz, Motown, the Auto Industry effect on migration, food, athletes from Negro baseball to present day, etc.
Tell Willie Horton's story. Tell the Funk Brothers Story, etc.

That actually makes a lot of sense,but it would take a combined effort of all of the institutions to promote the city as a destination,which in turn would be a revenue generator for everybody.

[Wesley Mouch]

It's located in Detroit because it was started by a Detroiter:

http://thewright.org/visit/about-the-museum

...started by a Detroiter that didn't build a sustainable museum. If you want a museum to succeed today, you either have to have a willing government or establish reasonable budgets and an appropriate endowment. Apparently, CHW has neither. That's too bad. But its only one of a thousand 'too bads' about Detroit.

Except for the fringers, everyone agrees that such a museum is important. So how do we fund this without spending money that should instead pay pensioners retirements so they don't carry this cost.

[Chinman]

it is located in Detroit because William H. Wright was a Black Physician in Detroit who started collecting artifacts and information from this Countries time of Slavery. By your statement alone proves why it is needed. You don't even know the History of how the Museum came about. learn things and then comment.

[mwilbert]

...started by a Detroiter that didn't build a sustainable museum. If you want a museum to succeed today, you either have to have a willing government or establish reasonable budgets and an appropriate endowment. Apparently, CHW has neither. That's too bad. But its only one of a thousand 'too bads' about Detroit.

Except for the fringers, everyone agrees that such a museum is important. So how do we fund this without spending money that should instead pay pensioners retirements so they don't carry this cost.

The city was the main funder of the building of this unsustainable museum, and the city agreed to fund a large portion of its operations, so at some point the CHW had a willing government. The problem is that your supporters have to be both willing and able, and Detroit no longer really is able, if it ever was, and the Wright museum has always had a problem expanding its fundraising base.

Because a huge portion [[I don't have the current numbers, but it was 80-90% a few years ago) of the museum's income is grants and donations, there is no realistic way it can make up the gap created by a loss of revenue from the city through increased admissions or memberships or party rentals, at least not anytime soon. The only way to make up the city's contribution would be to find some other donors, which is never an easy task, especially in an environment where the usual philanthropic suspects are being asked to pony up large amounts of extra cash to keep the DIA intact.

I would guess their best bet in the short run would be to hope that the city doesn't have to eliminate its contribution entirely, while they try to cut operating costs substantially. I don't know whether that is a reasonable hope. In the medium to long term they need to recruit more supporters, both large and small.

[downtownguy]

Because as an actual resident of this city I beg to differ, very strongly, that we should continue to fund the museum out of city coffers, when essential services are so lacking.

As an actual resident of this city, I beg to differ with you. Where do you draw the line at essential services? I consider arts and culture education to be essential, just as I consider recreation centers to be essential. The city is working through this financial crisis. And while I don't necessarily agree with how it's being done, I do think things are going to improve. To give up on the CAWMAAH now would be a grave mistake, just as it would be to give up on the DIA now.

[poobert]

Smh yep it must be nice to have that type of privilege to where one feel they have a right to dictate whether the fate of a museum dedicated to another groups culture simply because they don't see the importance of it. But then again I do tend to forget the mindset of some of the members of this forum....

How silly of my uppity self to feel some kind of way oh lawdy!


Privilege has its privileges eh?

Don't be so freaking sanctimonious. The vast majority of people here seem to see the importance of the museum but don't see any way to fund it. Whining like yours won't keep the museum open, now will it?

Privilege...it must be very useful to you to somehow have walked in all of our shoes. I'd invite you to live my life but I'd doubt you could have handled it.

[NickCharles]

Right. Enough of the "privilege" stuff. Current, trendy meme that it is, bringing it into this discussion just reduces the discussion to triteness while simultaneously misdirecting it.

This matter doesn't have any racial element beyond the appropriately afrocentric nature of the museum itself, at least not in my eyes.
It's about a museum that is not generating enough revenue to pay for itself. That's the problem. Arguing about whether or not non-black folks care about it enough to suit everyone's personal cultural models & expectations is, or should be, a separate issue.

So. That seems to leave two directions.

One is for the folks running the place to brainstorm like crazy and figure out some inventive ways to bring more people through the doors. That may mean enlisting the assistance of some marketing whiz-kids. The people in charge may be doing a good job in a number of areas, but it's apparent that they are coming up short when it comes to attracting visitors, or we wouldn't be having this discussion.

The other direction is to persuade some outside source[[s) to subsidize the operation. Not as good as Door #1, but so what; this is no time for false pride, correct?
Which brings me back to the point I was trying to make, which is that every time something like this issue arises, there are plenty of folks who believe that there is some amorphous "they," somewhere, who should step up to save the day. That is a fallacy, to begin with, and even if it were true, Detroit has a long list of needs, a long, long list... nothing against the museum, of course, but damn.

So, I'm still right where I was, last night. Either the place has to come up with ways to generate more dough, or the folks who are so rabid about keeping it open should step up with cash, or worthwhile suggestions, in hand.
But that's not how things go, around here.

[Chicago48]

I am genuinely surprised that the museum needs city subsidies. It is a great museum, and I think it is really a national museum. I am surprised that donations can't be raised to cover it's operating costs and fund an endowment. I would definitely favor getting rid of the subsidy, although I would probably phase it out, rather than cut it off cold.

Every museum in the U.S., regardless if it's "black" or international or whatever, gets subsidies.