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| Corcoran Gallery of Art and college to be taken over by the National Gallery of Art and George Washington University | Corcoran Gallery of Art and college to be taken over by the National Gallery of Art and George Washington University |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington’s oldest private art museum, and its venerable college of art and design would cease to exist as an independent institution, and its key components — artwork, historic building and school program — would be taken over by the National Gallery of Art and George Washington University, under a plan announced Wednesday afternoon. | The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington’s oldest private art museum, and its venerable college of art and design would cease to exist as an independent institution, and its key components — artwork, historic building and school program — would be taken over by the National Gallery of Art and George Washington University, under a plan announced Wednesday afternoon. |
| George Washington would assume ownership of the landmark Beaux Arts home of the Corcoran near the White House, and the Corcoran College of Art & Design would become part of the university. George Washington would pay nothing for the building, but would be responsible for an estimated tens of millions of dollars in renovation costs. The college would retain its identity within the university, though degrees would be granted by the university. | George Washington would assume ownership of the landmark Beaux Arts home of the Corcoran near the White House, and the Corcoran College of Art & Design would become part of the university. George Washington would pay nothing for the building, but would be responsible for an estimated tens of millions of dollars in renovation costs. The college would retain its identity within the university, though degrees would be granted by the university. |
| The National Gallery would assume initial responsibility for the Corcoran’s 17,000 pieces of art, and after a period of study, would acquire a large fraction of them. The rest would be distributed to museums around the country, with priority given to institutions in the District. | The National Gallery would assume initial responsibility for the Corcoran’s 17,000 pieces of art, and after a period of study, would acquire a large fraction of them. The rest would be distributed to museums around the country, with priority given to institutions in the District. |
| The National Gallery also would exhibit modern and contemporary art in the Corcoran building, under the name Corcoran Contemporary, National Gallery of Art. Works that the National Gallery adds to its collection would be credited as coming from the Corcoran Collection. And the National Gallery would maintain a Corcoran Legacy Gallery in the building, featuring works closely associated with the Corcoran’s history in its 17th Street NW building. | The National Gallery also would exhibit modern and contemporary art in the Corcoran building, under the name Corcoran Contemporary, National Gallery of Art. Works that the National Gallery adds to its collection would be credited as coming from the Corcoran Collection. And the National Gallery would maintain a Corcoran Legacy Gallery in the building, featuring works closely associated with the Corcoran’s history in its 17th Street NW building. |
| The surprise proposal — most recently the Corcoran had been exploring a collaboration with the University of Maryland — outlines a dramatic solution to a financial emergency and an identity crisis that have plagued the beloved institution, off and on, for generations. | The surprise proposal — most recently the Corcoran had been exploring a collaboration with the University of Maryland — outlines a dramatic solution to a financial emergency and an identity crisis that have plagued the beloved institution, off and on, for generations. |
| But the change comes not without cost of another, more emotional, kind. | But the change comes not without cost of another, more emotional, kind. |
| “There is no way to continue the Corcoran as we knew it or as we know it,” said Peggy Loar, interim director and president of the Corcoran. “That’s going to be the kernel of pain for some people.” | “There is no way to continue the Corcoran as we knew it or as we know it,” said Peggy Loar, interim director and president of the Corcoran. “That’s going to be the kernel of pain for some people.” |
| Still, she insisted, the Corcoran’s legacy and mission will endure in more than just name within the two partner institutions. | Still, she insisted, the Corcoran’s legacy and mission will endure in more than just name within the two partner institutions. |
| “What we want to make sure as stewards of the Corocoran as we know it is we want to make sure that innovation continues. We want to make sure that education continues. And we want to make sure the building can be brought back to its original beauty,” Loar said. | “What we want to make sure as stewards of the Corocoran as we know it is we want to make sure that innovation continues. We want to make sure that education continues. And we want to make sure the building can be brought back to its original beauty,” Loar said. |
| That and more will come to pass, according to top officials of the university and the National Gallery. | That and more will come to pass, according to top officials of the university and the National Gallery. |
| “It’s a huge gift to the nation,” said Earl A. “Rusty” Powell III, director of the National Gallery. “We’ll be able to expand our modern and contemporary exhibition program to be housed in the most beautiful galleries of any museum in the country.” | “It’s a huge gift to the nation,” said Earl A. “Rusty” Powell III, director of the National Gallery. “We’ll be able to expand our modern and contemporary exhibition program to be housed in the most beautiful galleries of any museum in the country.” |
| Admission will be free. One reason the Corcoran began slipping was the rise of government-subsidized competitors that did not have to charge visitors to help pay the bills. | Admission will be free. One reason the Corcoran began slipping was the rise of government-subsidized competitors that did not have to charge visitors to help pay the bills. |
| Meanwhile, art students will profit from mingling and studying in the same spaces as professional curators presenting powerful work, a signature facet of the Corcoran’s rare current model of a hybrid museum-school. | Meanwhile, art students will profit from mingling and studying in the same spaces as professional curators presenting powerful work, a signature facet of the Corcoran’s rare current model of a hybrid museum-school. |
| “It will allow us to explore unique opportunities in arts education,” said GW president Steven Knapp. | “It will allow us to explore unique opportunities in arts education,” said GW president Steven Knapp. |
| The arrangement also dovetails with GW’s expansion of its arts life, including moving the Textile Museum to the GW campus. | The arrangement also dovetails with GW’s expansion of its arts life, including moving the Textile Museum to the GW campus. |
| “This takes all those activities to a new level of prominence, impact and influence,” Knapp said. | “This takes all those activities to a new level of prominence, impact and influence,” Knapp said. |
| The bold pronouncements came with an important asterisk. The three partners have a deadline of April 7 to set the details of the collaboration. Leaders of all three institutions said they were confident the deal would be done. | The bold pronouncements came with an important asterisk. The three partners have a deadline of April 7 to set the details of the collaboration. Leaders of all three institutions said they were confident the deal would be done. |
| Washington has heard this before. Last April, with near equal confidence, the Corcoran and the University of Maryland announced a memorandum of understanding to begin discussions on a collaboration that would save the Corcoran. | Washington has heard this before. Last April, with near equal confidence, the Corcoran and the University of Maryland announced a memorandum of understanding to begin discussions on a collaboration that would save the Corcoran. |
| The deadline on those talks was the end of the summer. By November, according to Loar, the university was still deliberating. | The deadline on those talks was the end of the summer. By November, according to Loar, the university was still deliberating. |
| “That didn’t give our board the confidence that this could really be worked out,” Loar said, and the gallery told the university that it would start talking with other potential partners. | “That didn’t give our board the confidence that this could really be worked out,” Loar said, and the gallery told the university that it would start talking with other potential partners. |
| With time and operating money dwindling, gallery leaders also had a critical shift of thought about the range of solutions they would consider. Until then, they had insisted that the gallery and the college remain together. The principle was implicit in a planning document, years in the making, “A Strategic Framework for a New Corcoran,” that they unveiled when they announced the proposed collaboration with the Maryland. | With time and operating money dwindling, gallery leaders also had a critical shift of thought about the range of solutions they would consider. Until then, they had insisted that the gallery and the college remain together. The principle was implicit in a planning document, years in the making, “A Strategic Framework for a New Corcoran,” that they unveiled when they announced the proposed collaboration with the Maryland. |
| By this past December, with time and operating money dwindling, gallery leaders were willing to contemplate separating the two. They reignited talks with George Washington and the National Gallery. There had been discussions with those two in the past, but neither had wanted to take on both the school and the gallery. | By this past December, with time and operating money dwindling, gallery leaders were willing to contemplate separating the two. They reignited talks with George Washington and the National Gallery. There had been discussions with those two in the past, but neither had wanted to take on both the school and the gallery. |
| The future of Corcoran employees is not fully clear. GW will assume the current one-year contracts of full-time college faculty, Loar said. The National Gallery will be consulting with gallery curators, Powell said. | The future of Corcoran employees is not fully clear. GW will assume the current one-year contracts of full-time college faculty, Loar said. The National Gallery will be consulting with gallery curators, Powell said. |
| Corcoran administrative departments that are duplicative may not survive the transition. | Corcoran administrative departments that are duplicative may not survive the transition. |
| “That’s always the sad thing about change,” Loar said. “We’re going to save as many [positions] as we can. | “That’s always the sad thing about change,” Loar said. “We’re going to save as many [positions] as we can. |
| GW’s responsibility to renovate the Corcoran could be costly. Gallery officials estimated the price 18 months ago at $130 million. That number alone — when the Corcoran routinely has run $7 million deficits on a $32 million budget — was enough to prompt the gallery’s board of trustees to consider drastic action, including selling the historic building. | GW’s responsibility to renovate the Corcoran could be costly. Gallery officials estimated the price 18 months ago at $130 million. That number alone — when the Corcoran routinely has run $7 million deficits on a $32 million budget — was enough to prompt the gallery’s board of trustees to consider drastic action, including selling the historic building. |
| Knapp pointed out that the university would not be renovating the building as a museum, which would not cost as much. He also said he did not trust previous estimates and would rely on the university’s own building experts. The university will raise funds to cover the cost, and the Corcoran would contribute a yet-to-be determined amount from its assets. The economically struggling Corcoran has “not much” money to offer, Loar said. | |
| Despite the changes, the Corcoran will continue as a non-profit organization pursuing the original mission set 145 years ago by William Corcoran: “Dedicated to art and encouraging American genius,” Corcoran leaders said. | Despite the changes, the Corcoran will continue as a non-profit organization pursuing the original mission set 145 years ago by William Corcoran: “Dedicated to art and encouraging American genius,” Corcoran leaders said. |
| In the near future, that would include consulting with the National Gallery on the collection. The smaller Corcoran entity would support the gallery’s and the university’s stewardship of the Corcoran legacy, officials said. | In the near future, that would include consulting with the National Gallery on the collection. The smaller Corcoran entity would support the gallery’s and the university’s stewardship of the Corcoran legacy, officials said. |
| READ MORE: | READ MORE: |
| The end of the Corcoran Gallery of Art | The end of the Corcoran Gallery of Art |
| Museums in transition: Corcoran Gallery sees its finances improve | Museums in transition: Corcoran Gallery sees its finances improve |
| Corcoran gallery: Why don’t donors give? | Corcoran gallery: Why don’t donors give? |
| Corcoran gallery has trouble getting noticed | Corcoran gallery has trouble getting noticed |
| Corcoran’s Proposal to leave its historic quarters is laden with questions | Corcoran’s Proposal to leave its historic quarters is laden with questions |
| Controversy swirls around Cocoran’s possible move | Controversy swirls around Cocoran’s possible move |
| GRAPHIC: Financial problems for the Corcoran | GRAPHIC: Financial problems for the Corcoran |