From the Regional Art Council, Region 1
We, the Regional Arts Council, are writing to express our deep concern and disappointment regarding the sale of artworks from the permanent collection of Valparaiso University's Brauer Museum of Art and the subsequent closure of the museum's doors. These actions undermine a commitment to fostering a well-rounded, culturally rich academic environment, diminish the role of the arts in the university's educational mission, and deeply impact our region's creative community.
The sale of artworks from The Brauer's collection contradicts its core mission as a steward of cultural heritage and educational resources. Such actions prioritize short-term financial gain over the long-term educational and cultural value these works provide to students, scholars, and the broader community. Museums, particularly those affiliated with universities, play a critical role in fostering creativity, dialogue, and scholarship. Selling off artworks not only depletes these resources but also sends a troubling message about the devaluation of cultural and intellectual assets in favor of monetary interests. Furthermore, overturning donor intent is a threat that severely erodes trust in the institution's commitment to preserve and promote cultural knowledge for future generations.
The Brauer is a regional cultural anchor that supports the work of the cultural institutions and arts organizations across Northwest Indiana. Regional Arts Council member organizations have had the privilege of partnering with Valparaiso University and the Brauer Museum to expand access to the museum's renowned collection while building patron and community support for the museum and its campus. We have worked in tandem with the museum to collaborate on exhibitions, interpretive programs, and events that have championed our creative communities and upheld our collective organizations as thriving and important components to the region's creative economy, an increasingly important development engine in Northwest Indiana.
Our organizations' missions believe in the positive impact the arts have on our communities, and we work tirelessly to build access to the arts and arts education opportunities that foster connection, growth, and joy for the tens of thousands of people we serve across the region, just as the Brauer did before its repeated closures. Not only does this sale send a message about the value the university places on the arts as an essential component of higher education and civic engagement, but it also jeopardizes donations to non profit organizations and institutions throughout the region and state. This action establishes a legal precedent that donor intent can be overturned, potentially affecting donor partnerships with our organizations.
While we understand the financial constraints and challenges that may have led to this decision, we urge the university to reconsider. Alternative solutions to the sale of these artworks must be explored, and the museum's collection must be preserved and reopened to the public. Regional arts and educational organizations, including our local school districts, cherish the Brauer as a resource to view world class artworks and access interpretive programs here at home. We hope that another solution is implemented that will keep the collection in place and the Brauer open and thriving as an essential cultural resource for our region.
Sincerely,
NORTHWEST INDIANA REGIONAL ARTS COUNCIL
Janet Bloch, Lubeznik Center for the Arts
Larry Brechner, Producer/Co-Host Art On The Air
Jeffrey Brown, Professor Emeritus, Jazz Studies, Valparaiso University CarolAnn Brown
Jonathan Canning
Amy Davis Navardauskas, Art Barn School ofArt
Michelle Golden, Books, Brushes, & Bands
Hannah Hammond-Hagman, Chesterton Art Center
Jane Lohmeyer, Adjunct Instructor, Valparaiso University
Karen M. Maravilla, Serendipity
David Mika, South Shore Arts
Emily Nelson, Towle Theater
Don Parker, South Shore Orchestra
Philip M. Potempa, Center for Visual and Performing Arts
Thomas Sufana
Gloria Tuohy, Indiana Ballet Theater