No data on how many employees that worked at the AAM during the last 10 years who have not signed this mud-slinging article. After the meeting, she sent an email to the docents, writing that she had been removed as a result of standing up for museum staff for the last year, within the Board of Trustees and most recently on record with the AVLWatchdog.org article., Nancy Ferguson, a 30-year museum volunteer and former trustee, told Asheville Watchdog, I was appalled to learn of Ms. Weitzmans dismissal. executive director of the museum since 1995. Weitzman said she wanted to make clear that she was not the one confronting Myers at the party. Benites said he was terribly distressed by the incident at the party. Asheville Watchdog spoke separately with Weitzman, Lewis, and Krider the day after the event. Sally Kestin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter. David Huff, one of five museum board members who resigned in the spring, said the trustees were doubling down by removing Weitzman. It struck me at the time that it was odd she couldnt take five minutes to dash off a quick note. I dont do this lightly, said Paul Saenger, chair of the museums Board of Trustees, according to a recording of the board meeting obtained by Asheville Watchdog. ); were talking about watching kind, hard-working, talented young and old professionals cry at their desks day after day. Engaging, enlightening and inspiring individuals and enriching community through dynamic experiences in American art of the 20th and 21st centuries since 1948. ashevilleart.org SaveSave Read more about the history of the Museum, as well as the Museums new building. Good luck. In the letter to the Trustees, the 29 ex-employees wrote that current and former staff want to reclaim our Museum an institution built by the community and for the community.. . Im honestly glad that you had a decent time at the Museum, but please dont brush off the cruelty that many of us experienced from her. The patron was in her face, not me., Were clear, Saenger replied. Balanced reporting would detract from your outrageous reporting which is the goal of the Watchdog. We refuse to continue being verbally and emotionally abused; we refuse to be gaslit and silenced when we defend ourselves, the letter said. Is this board more or less bought and paid for by the successful fundraising, and how much is personal vanity playing a part in being a board member? I liken this behavior to what the vandals are doing defacing the museum, Saenger said. Leave, I did. "We wanted the building to be . 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. 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Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. Roger McCredie January 8, 2015. She said the foundation of the museum was not its collections but rather the people who make the everyday possible. Asheville Art Museum 114 Literary, Art & Music Tours Art Museums Downtown Asheville By carriemjax The permanent collection had a broad variety, Jasper Jones to local Appalachian artists. The Asheville Art Museum ONE DAY will be a museum of and for the community. Committees of the board include executive, finance, audit, and human resources. The Perspective Caf is kicking off 2023 with a classic bang! 4. For what it is worth, my observation is that departmental staff come and go frequently. They dont want to hear. As has been echoed again and again, there is a fierce and ugly disconnect between Pam and her supporters and the community. But I feel like that has been compromised on numerous occasions by Michelle Weitzman.. It is common knowledge among museum experts that museum stores and restaurants have become much needed sources of additional revenue; leadership at Asheville Art Museum, however, treats the store and cafe as unimportant after thoughts, refusing to provide the resources and support they need in order to be profitable. Krider said she asked Myers about the Watchdog story, and Myers declined to discuss it, saying, according to Krider, Youre in my house.. All I can say is this is not the museum that I have known and loved for so long.. Being good at one thing (raising money) does not mean you are good at everything. do koalas have poisonous claws. To see this come out in the open is not surprising Im not shocked by any of it. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. Contact her at skestin@avlwatchdog.org. We need your help to continue serving as a source of knowledge and inspiration during these uncertain times. But behind. The work environment is beyond toxic, Huff and Green wrote in a 2021 summary. Museums and Communities News is our roundup of stories demonstrating the many ways AAMD member museums serve their communities If so, I havent seen it. Your email address will not be published. Ive kind of found myself in a situation of traveling and taking my work outside of the city to be able to make a living with it, and that is with the privilege of a university degree and a local culture that already privileges white artists., Maurer, 23, said UNCA trains students for a museum-centered career, but the museum caters to artists that are not based in Asheville and then takes that work and redirects it towards tourists., The museum was founded in 1948 by local artists. The board has stood by Myers, 65, largely crediting her with raising $30 million in a capital campaign that spanned well over a decade. This Educational Organization is headquartered in Asheville, NC. Pam has a platform and could issue a statement at any time. The museum's permanent collection also explores regional contributions in three areas: Weitzman and the group moved to the first floor, where Myers was standing with trustee Bob Benites. 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. Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center By The Numbers. I am really grateful to the employees and community members who are speaking out publicly. I argue they have one of the most important roles at the museumand similarly, in any guest-serving institutions. On view through March 6! Zahler mentioned an issue, an apparent reference to employee complaints about Myerss management dating to at least 2015. She returned to the group, and Lewis approached Myers. Emails provided by Weitzman show she raised employee concerns beginning in March 2022. Lewis said that Myers told her, Now is not the time, but did not say when she would be available to speak. The Asheville Art Museum's vision is to transform lives through art. It was not an attack.. Asked for comment, Benites wrote that after significant discussion the board had decided to have all communications be with the chair.. Join Us This Sunday for a Traditional Game Day. Supporters credit Myers with taking the museum from the basement of the Asheville Civic Center to the glistening anchor of downtown that it is today, and with overseeing a capital campaign that raised more than $30 million. . All voted in favor of removing Weitzman. Stan Hastings, President. Benites said he was terribly distressed by the incident at the party. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. Is there not something to this? Huff said. The word used by three former staff is traumatic. , Both times, the board brought in an executive coach. Asheville-born and Raleigh-Durham-based interdisciplinary artist Sherrill Rolands socially driven practice draws upon his experience with wrongful incarceration for a crime he did not commit and seeks to open conversations about how we care for our communities and one another with compassion and understanding. Shall I bring my dull wit writ upon signage to the entrance to the museum to start protesting? The Museum acknowledges that it is situated upon the ancient, southern Appalachian ancestral homeland of the Cherokee Tribe and that this region is still the home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians today. Well certainly take everything you had to say to heart, Michelle, as we always have, Saenger said. Phone (828) 254-7162 Email info@ashevillescience.org Participating member of the North Carolina Grassroots Science Museums collaborative with education funding by the North Carolina General Assembly. Asheville Art Museum Exposed (@ashevilleartmuseumxposed) on Instagram. 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. Instead, board member Benites made a motion that Michelle be removed from the board.. Artists for Asheville started this petition Two recent articles in the Asheville Watchdog have exposed how Pam Myers, Executive Director of the Asheville Art Museum, has routinely mistreated Museum staff during her tenure, creating a culture of fear, retaliation, and high attrition that has twice been brought to the Museum's Board of Trustees. Stop wagging your finger, didnt even notice I was doing it., Krider said all Weitzman did was tell me where Pam was standing and repeat something she had already apparently said that working for her is really difficult or however she worded it.. An outspoken member of the Asheville Art Museums 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 68,000-square-foot museum features 20th and 21st century American art. In fact, by the third story there were not even responses from the organization/board to the reporters inquiries. Its just troublemakers.. 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. In 2005, the museum inaugurated its capital campaign artworks for Asheville to develop the new museum. She gives off a very let them eat cake! vibe. Our Vision + Mission: To transform lives through art. Yes, I also saw the similarities to that narciopath Agent Orange. Could she have told you in a less harsh way? Facebook . Pack Place takeover, Art Museum's "SECU Plaza" project scrutinized. I was responsible for applying for the solicitation license, in my years long career as a grants manager I was never responsible for that. I never heard anyone speak with such divine right, Krider said. Years ago I wrote Pam Myers about an exhibit concept that would feature the design community of Asheville as a vibrant collection of talented professionals doing breakthrough work. It isnt just that Pam treats staff horrendously though that should be enough to fire her. If there are additional episodes of improper staff involvement, I will bring this to the trustees to consider your continuing on the board., On Nov. 14, the day before Tuesdays board meeting, Saenger wrote to Weitzman, In accordance with the bylaws, I am giving you notice that given the inappropriate behavior when you and your companions verbally attacked and intimidated Pam and others at the members event I will request a discussion as to your continuing to serve on the AAM board. Its an embarrassment. Weitzman responded that she attempted a group effort and failed. My experience was traumatic. The museum held a member appreciation party Nov. 10, the day after the Watchdogstory appeared. We've recently sent you an authentication link. Thats absurd, Krider said. 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. and so it will be with Ms. Myers and her now rapidly unraveling tenure of abuse there at the Asheville Art Museum. Absolutely. 2023 Officers Jamie Winderbaum FernandezChair Cathy GrantVice Chair Penny VinikVice Chair Tom HochhauslerTreasurer Kenneth PagesSecretary Dianne JacobPast Chair 2023 Board of Trustees Allison Casper Adams Belinda Alexander Pat Carter Sandra [] Krider, according to Weitzman, continued with her rant about a terrible way to run an organization.. But it was Krider, not Weitzman, who confronted Myers in front of board member Robert Benites. Through his work, Roland engages visitors in dialogues around community, social contract, identity, biases, and other deeply human experiences. David Huff, one of five museum board members who resigned in the spring, said the trustees were doubling down by removing Weitzman. What happened to free First Wednesday admission to Asheville Art Museum? If so, its not a pretty picture. Committed to showcasing a multitude of art histories, LACMA exhibits and interprets works of art from new and unexpected points of view that are informed by the region's rich cultural . Yes, thats the definition of insanity, Homelessness and First Amendment On Trial in Asheville. Right so lets get the courts involved here since the Board there at the glass palace/ fortress has shown itself incapable of anything but a bunker mentality in regard to this -gone on way too long- travesty. The outspoken employees were very courageous in attempting to shine light on an aggregious working conditions for a very underpaid staff. Unpopular Opinion but Reality: MICHELLE CROUCH, North Carolina Health News, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Museum Members receive 12 months of free general admission. She and other current board members, as well as past board chairs, would only answer questions submitted in writing. One person objected to something to do with the theatre-how many did not object? I have a feeling yall are going to regret your fumble here. Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menus. Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. sorry, that should have read: [this] reminds me of another highly manipulative/ vindictive psychopath Anyway, really, the powers to be in the City of Asheville/ Buncombe County now is the time for some serious damage control because I highly doubt this is going away anytime soon. Buc-ees convenience store coming to Henderson County? It is compliance and should fall to the CFO or COOin this case the same individualthe museum was under an extension when I arrived and remained so when I left. After the vote to remove Weitzman, Saenger said, I would just underscore that its just not appropriate to take things into your own hands. Re: Comments from Hamill (donor) I tried to stand in front of Pam. Emailing your doctor? Does it have to come to that? The Museum presents a robust schedule of engaging exhibitions featuring American art of the 20th and 21st centuries. The Museum also offers a broad variety of innovative programs for all ages, including classes and workshops for adults, college students, children, and families; guided and group tours; concerts and performances; volunteer and docent programs; year-round and summer internship programs; film screenings; lectures and panel discussions; school and teacher programs; special events; and much more. It is a cornerstone in this art-rich town that we can all be very proud of.. You may get billed for that. Employee complaints have been a source of discord on the museum board. Its just like, Wow, finally., Shull said he would like to see Myers retire and be celebrated for all that shes done and have a clean slate for the community to attract a really good director with significant talent that reflects the values that Asheville projects.. The work environment is beyond toxic, Huff and Green wrote in a 2021 summary. The Asheville Art Museum, glistening through its glass exterior in the downtown heart of Pack Square, earns acclaim for its prized collection of American and Appalachian artwork. That is the definition of poor management. In my view that is balanced reporting two opposite actions in response to one issue. North Carolina museum exhibiting 20th century American art, Come have a drink and experiment with art materials while connecting with your community! In that time has there been any kind of official response from the organization, its board or director? The high attrition rate is simply bad business.. Get a code sent to your email to sign in, or sign in using a password. I do think people who are involved in extraneous things like the gift shop, if theyre truly unhappy, Im not sure I care.. Myers, the museum's executive director for 27 years, declined to be interviewed by Asheville Watchdog. 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. Experience great art while mingling with fellow art lovers at an opening reception, watch a local ceramist throw a pot in her studio, discover new creative skills at a workshopall this and more. Weitzman said a museum patron, Monica Krider, had wanted to share her thoughts with Pam about the Watchdog story. In my view that is balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area that narciopath Orange. Couldnt take five minutes to dash off a very let them eat cake 68,000-square-foot museum features 20th and 21st.... Of board member Robert benites and for the past 25 years, xpress has been compromised on numerous by... Asheville and Buncombe County unpopular Opinion but Reality: Michelle CROUCH, Carolina... Campaign artworks for Asheville to develop the new museum raised employee concerns beginning March! Were very courageous in attempting to shine light on an aggregious working for! 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