In Detroit bankruptcy, what will happen to DIA?

[Trainman]

A three county property tax was proposed to save the DIA, just like the Zoo and the SMART bus system. Do you think this should have passed?

This vote failed but was close and many people would like to see this on the ballot again.

[Lorax]

A three county property tax was proposed to save the DIA, just like the Zoo and the SMART bus system. Do you think this should have passed?

This vote failed but was close and many people would like to see this on the ballot again.

Really a great idea- it's a good step toward regionalizing the bigger assets of the region. This is the key, I belive in Detroit ever resembling a liveable city again. Here's a list of what needs to be regionalized, blending the governments of the tri-county area into a single entity:

Police
Fire
Libraries
Museums
Parks
Auditoriums
Transportation
Tax collection
Permitting
Development/planning
Hospitals
Schools

Did I leave anything out?

[Danny]

YES! regionalize the DIA. It's the only way to save the Detroit's arts and humanities.

[Retroit]

Did I leave anything out?

Wealth and intelligence?

[jerrytimes]

Wealth and intelligence?

Common sense is another.

[Novine]

"The number is way, way up in the billions -- enough to generate cash income on an endowment that would fully fund Detroit's arts and culture budget and essential services to boot. If Detroit mobilizes that value, the structural deficit goes away and there's no need for any bankruptcy."

Huh? Are you trying to say that if the city sold off the art, it could avoid bankruptcy? If the artwork is sold off, what's the point of having the museum or an endowment to fund it?

[Coaccession]

Huh? Are you trying to say that if the city sold off the art, it could avoid bankruptcy? If the artwork is sold off, what's the point of having the museum or an endowment to fund it?

Novine, you wouldn't have to sell off the art. There are other ways to mobilize its financial value, and at least one would let Detroit fund an endowment with the artworks' market value without moving exhibits an inch. Like gold in a vault, investors will want their artworks in a museum.

On the other hand, if the City goes bankrupt, who's going to protect the museum and its art?

[JBMcB]

Did I leave anything out?

Water. It's already happening - a consortium of Macomb and Oakland counties took over control of the OMI after it was found to be in *extreme* disrepair [[it had already collapsed at 15 mile)

I think the main arteries and processing plants should be regionally owned and managed, with cities taking care of the "last mile" infrastructure.

[1953]

I previously worked at the DIA. The building and some of the collection is owned by the city. The collection is managed by the Founders Society, which also owns some of collection. Many pieces were donated with restrictions as to what can happen to them. The museum does not make a practice of selling pieces in its collection [[with some exceptions), because it is a member of the American Museum Association. If the city were to go into bankruptcy or receivership, I am pretty certain that the museum would be spun off entirely to the founder's soceity and no one else; the founder's soceity is almost entirely funded by sources outside of the city.

[Coaccession]

I previously worked at the DIA. The building and some of the collection is owned by the city. The collection is managed by the Founders Society, which also owns some of collection. Many pieces were donated with restrictions as to what can happen to them. The museum does not make a practice of selling pieces in its collection [[with some exceptions), because it is a member of the American Museum Association. If the city were to go into bankruptcy or receivership, I am pretty certain that the museum would be spun off entirely to the founder's soceity and no one else; the founder's society is almost entirely funded by sources outside of the city.

It's worth emphasizing that AAM/AAMD rules would indeed likely spin off the museum to the Founders Society, as 1953 says, and that Founders Society funding does indeed come almost entirely from Bloomfield Hills and Gross Pointe. Nonetheless, AAM and AAMD are voluntary associations and their rules don't determine what happens to city-owned assets, so the collection won't go to the suburbs. What will likely happen is bankruptcy judge will start selling artworks and will keep selling artworks until all debts and obligations of the City of Detroit are fully paid up. If any of the 48 city unions hold out on Bing's negotiations, you could see the Van Goghs go in a van for delivery to the highest bidder.

Paying off the $20 billion in city debts and obligations -- all accelerated by bankruptcy -- would go through about a third or so of the DIA collection's financial value. That wouldn't be a pretty process, so here's hoping Detroit takes steps to avoid it. It's got the assets -- it just need the character to use them.

[rex]

A three county property tax was proposed to save the DIA, just like the Zoo and the SMART bus system. Do you think this should have passed?

This vote failed but was close and many people would like to see this on the ballot again.

Like how they sandwiched SMART in between the zoo and the DIA.

[Danny]

Thr DIA got some money from other private folks! They will stay open for a while. In the meantime the Detroit Science Center will remain closed for a long time.

Well! who needs science when we can see more Andy Warhol to Picasso's crayola pop art.

[1953]

I cannot give you a number regarding how much of the 60,000 piece collection is owned by the city and how much is controlled differently, but I know that, for some time, the museum has been accessioning works differently than it did in years past - I believe this protects a great deal of the recent acquisitions from receivership, though many of the most storied pieces would not be covered by this. Arguably, the city could balance its books against the value of that museum. However, this would be entirely unprecedented in the nation's history and, perhaps, in the history of art.

[English]

I cannot give you a number regarding how much of the 60,000 piece collection is owned by the city and how much is controlled differently, but I know that, for some time, the museum has been accessioning works differently than it did in years past - I believe this protects a great deal of the recent acquisitions from receivership, though many of the most storied pieces would not be covered by this. Arguably, the city could balance its books against the value of that museum. However, this would be entirely unprecedented in the nation's history and, perhaps, in the history of art.

You're absolutely right. The city of Detroit would become [[even more of) an international pariah.

[Coaccession]

You're absolutely right [1953]. The city of Detroit would become [[even more of) an international pariah {[[by) balanc[[ing) its books against the value of that museum}.

Better Detroit should go bankrupt first, English, and take its chances with its creditors' tender mercies? It can avoid that risk by letting its cultural property do double duty, adding new financial benefits to existing cultural benefits. By using those financial benefits to support the arts, sciences and humanities -- does reopening the Detroit Science Center appeal to you? -- the city would then reinvest in the [[now highly visible) sources of its wealth. Far from being an international pariah, Detroit would be an international hero for setting such a very valuable precedent.

[Coaccession]

...I know that, for some time, the museum has been accessioning works differently than it did in years past - I believe this protects a great deal of the recent acquisitions from receivership...

You'd think, 1953, that the DIA's annual report wouldn't still say that accessions belong to the City, then.

Arguably, the city could balance its books against the value of that museum. However, this would be entirely unprecedented in the nation's history and, perhaps, in the history of art.

Well, not that many cities own art museums, and of those that do, not many are having to juggle payroll with vendors to avoid bouncing checks. Detroit is likely unique in having so much art and so little cash. Of course, other cities subsidize art museums they don't own. If Detroit sets a precedent showing how wealthy art museums can pay their own way and offer tremendous outreach as well -- a couple hours of arts instruction available every day in every one of Detroit's classrooms, for starters, so we don't lose the potential of any budding geniuses -- that might do some real good for the city, the nation and the history of art. As long as the Van Goghs don't go in a van, having your Monet and money too should help cities with art museums.