Jacksonville called a Top 25 Big City for the Arts

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by jsimms3

..Also, if UNF issued MOCA a loan out of its endowment as an investment with the art valued at a couple mil as collateral, then UNF was only using private funds, not state taxpayer money. I doubt UNF pulled money to issue a loan out of its operating budget...

And just FWIW - I don't know exactly how UNF works - but at the University of Florida (with which I have a relationship) - the UFF (University of Florida Foundation) is a hybrid of private contributions - matching grants from the state - etc.. It is definitely at least semi-public. And unless monies in that endowment were given specifically for MOCA - any monies spent on MOCA are being diverted from more central functions of the University. That is why it's important if you make a charitable donation to something like this - it's important to specify what you want done with your money (imagine some UNF graduate donating some bucks to the UNF endowment thinking it would make things better for students and professors - only to find out his money was subsidizing some 5th rate art museum). Robyn

[FlyiMetro]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

Sometimes I'm not sure anyone is on the same page that I am. UNF basically owns MOCA (which is a 5th rate museum - a total joke IMO). State of Florida finances are in trouble. Local/municipal finances in Florida are in trouble. The finances of universities in Florida are in trouble. So where do you start to cut to make ends meet? I'd say a 5th rate art museum would be at or near the top of my list.

As for the Cummer - is it self-supporting on a private basis? It is pretty much a 3rd rate art museum (although it does have about 5 paintings that are world class and/or interesting for various reasons - 2 from the collection appeared in the Whitney exhibit about a decade ago that was called something like the history of America through its art).

As for the plates - who cares? Perhaps it should sell them to someone who cares about them (doubt one in 100,000 people in JAX cares).

Considering the state of state and municipal finances these days - the arts are in deep doo-doo IMO. So choices have to be made. My absolute number one choice for arts financing here would be the symphony. Not because I like music more than art. But because the symphony is here and always changing - not like a collection of 5th rate modern art or a bunch of old plates. And because the symphony is more likely to teach kids and younger people about music than the Cummer or MOCA will teach them about art. IMO - the symphony is the best cultural resource we have here. Robyn

Damn Robyn, why you gotta be such a nascar fan?? MOCA is sexy. I do agree with you on the plates @ the Cummer, If Jax is 2nd who is 3rd? MOCA is a nice place though, they change exibits you know.