Panopticon member Randolph Pfaff attended the meeting of the ARLIS/NA New England chapter and provided us with a summary of the proceedings.
The meeting took place at the MFA library (in Horticultural Hall at 300 Mass Ave.) on December 3, 2010. The topics covered during the meeting included a review of the financial status of the New England chapter, an overview of last spring’s ARLIS national meeting held here in Boston and a request by the Chapter President for feedback from members regarding the ARLIS/NA strategic plan. The strategic plan outlines the direction and goals of the national organization for the next five years and the Strategic Planning Committee is currently seeking feedback from chapters and individual members. The meeting also included a brief overview of upcoming events, including a panel presentation by local contemporary art curators, which will take place at Simmons.
These points were followed by a discussion of news at the various institutions represented at the meeting. While many attendees mentioned new exhibitions or collections, the discussion was dominated by talk of collaboration among institutions and the sharing of resources. This is a discussion that will likely grow as time goes on and an increasing number of small institutions work together to prevent purchasing overlapping resources in a defined geographic area and to instead coordinate purchasing decisions between institutions.
Following the meeting, the group broke for lunch and attendees later reconvened at the MFA for a self-guided tour of the new Art of the Americas wing.