The Council of State is the group of statewide elected officials (Governor, Lt. Governor—known as the Lite Gov, Labor Commissioner, etc) who meet once a month. One of the main things they do is approve the sale and purchase of property. Today, they approved the state taking control of two important properties: Chimney Rock, and SECCA.
Both reflect the changing economics of our times. But they are interesting for other reasons. Chimney Rock will eventually become a state park, like Mount Mitchell. SECCA will be probably be some mini N.C. Museum of Art, with a nod to modern/contemporary art.
SECCA’s move was driven in part by the cost of maintenance and repairs at its facility off of Reynolda Road, but there is something a bit troubling about museums becoming part of the state. Art is expression, First Amendment and all that, and inevitably, when the government gets involved with the First Amendment, there is a change. SECCA made its bones by being provocative and taking risks, challenging the government over what constitutes art. Can that happen when it’s part of the government? Maybe. But don’t bet on it.
In answer to a question below, I’ve put in a link to SECCA’s latest filed tax return on Guidestar.
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Poor SECCA. They used to be a free art gallery, then have free openings, and now charge every time one goes in the door. They are also pretty nasty to local artists, preferring those from elsewhere.
Let’s see. SECCA gets money from the National Arts Council, the State Arts Council, the W-S/ Forsyth Arts Council, grants from large corporations for specific art shows. They raise money from SECCA Santa, have a gift shop, let folks join as members. They charge admission at the door. And now money from the state.
The building looks fine. Poor, poor SECCA.
Well. I don’t know about all that. I do know that their tax returns paint a fairly vivid—if not particularly artistic --- portrait of an institution that is in trouble on the ledger side of the business.
And I’ve seen the sheetrock dope buckets in the hallway there.
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