The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-11-21
PUBLIC BUILDINGS OWNED BY TAXPAYERS
Local Art Galleries Should Be Open Anybody for
Exhibition Purposes Government Officials Ad-
monished to Smile and Look Pleasant
eY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

BY the way, who owns the public art
galleries?
A resident artist stated the other
day that the local painters couldn't
give an exhibition or have the use of
the galleries without the consent Of
the president of the Richmond Art AS
ISOLATION.
Another local painter said
THE president has kindly consent
Cd to let me use the galleries for an
exhibition Of my own"
kindly consented"
That is good.
The fact is that the public art gal
leries are in a public school building
erected by the money of the citizens
of the community who pay taxes.
Anybody with legitimate object
consistent with the purpose for which
an art gallery is erected, or set aside,
certainly should have the right Of it's
use.
This divine right business is not
only laughablc but has no part in a
country supposed to have democratic
Institutions.
1t is said that arrangements have
been made for an appropriation by the
! city council to be made to the local
Art Association.
For what purpose?
The exhibition scheduled this year
under the name of the Richmond Art
Association, and which contained one
picture by Richmond artist. is openly
IN avowed private business enter
prise.
The exhibition now on is neither
fish, fowl nor good red blood.
Several years ago a public spirited
citizeness of the town instituted a
prize for the hest picture painted by a
resident Indiana artist and one for
! the best by Richmond painter.
! The pictures entered for the prize
We're exhibited at the annual exhibit
| tion of the association.
! This year they were not, since the
| it was uncertain whether or not the
prizes would again be given.
So the exhibition was arranged la
| ter, and is now on.
Three artists from out of the city
are made the jury and it is up to them
as to what Richmond artists shall
be permitted to be represented in this
exhibit.
The Indiana prize has never gone
to Richmond artist.
| 1t may this year since its constant
! bestowal otherwhere has proved high
! ly unpopular locally.
| Once the Richmond prize of $25 was
given to Bundy.
This was positively funny.
Bundy-one Of the leading land
scapists in the county whose product
is included in the Evans collection.
The sardonics of this is obvious.
, Last year, when the. unpopularity
of the exclusion Of the Richmond art
lists from the Art Associations exhibi
tions was apparent they were allow
ed-permitted-to have an exhibition
of their own.
1t did not prove a success because
nobody knew anything much about
it and had supposed the annual exhibit
ton was over.
To reiterate, the present exhibitions
of the Richmond Art Association are
personal enterprise. The exhibit
now on is one of Indiana artists to
compete for a prize.
Therefore what is the council appro
priating money for?
TO make up the deficit of the Rich
mond Art Associations budget las
year and this?
The truth is that if the council ap
propriates money for this purpose i
should certainly do so for the Rich
mond Symphony orchestra which i:
actually a local organization for the
benefit Of local people and out o
which no one is making any money
But the legality of any of these ap
preparations is doubtful
However, if it is given for the Ar
association, as now constituted, i
should be given any other local enter
prise which so requests.
The Fall Festival, in instance. o.
the South Side Improvement associa
ton. Or the May Festival. Or Ger
tainly the Symphony orchestra.
None of these have asked for it. Blu
they might and if they did there woul'
be no reason for refusing.
The appropriation made by the coun
Gil as originally instituted was rail
roaded through by a newspaper mai
: who was secretary of the Art Associa
ton and member of council. Throug
some sleight Of hand performance thi
: appropriation was made an annual al
fair for several years.
Theoretically government encoul
! agement Of the arts is ideal
/ But practically, as illustrated i
Richmond, Indiana, it is joke Sti
- 0~% n On