Advocacy
Art Deaccessioning at Randolph College
In early November, the Lynchburg Circuit Court in Virginia temporarily enjoined the sale of four prized works of art (including George Bellows's Men of the Docks) from the Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College in Lynchburg. The injunction was conditioned on the posting of a surety cash bond, which originally was set by the court at $10 million. On November 16, the Supreme Court of Virginia upheld the circuit court's ruling but reduced the amount of the bond to $1 million. The deadline for posting the bond is December 3, 2007. If the cash bond is not posted by that date, the injunction will be dissolved and Randolph College, absent further court orders, will be allowed to proceed with the sales.Students and alumni of and donors to Randolph College have been joined by art-museum professionals, arts-advocacy groups, and arts associations to uphold policy set in the Association of Art Museum Directors' Professional Practices in Art Museums. The policy outlines the standards, procedures, and ethics to be followed when deaccessioning works of art. In so doing and in this case, donor intent, public trust, community service, and the educational purpose of the college and its art museum are respected and preserved.
Preserve Educational Choice (PEC) has launched an effort to raise the required $1 million bond in cash by the December 3 deadline. It is requesting donations to PEC's Art Defense Fund. PEC's website states that it is a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization founded to oppose the plan of the trustees of Randolph-Macon Woman's College to make the college coeducational and adopt "global honors" as a curricular focus.
A PDF of the circuit court's ruling, including the transcript in which the court describes the basis for its decision, can be found here.