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Need for a sector-wide conversation on supporting cultural institutions
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Commissioner Cumbo emphasizes the need for a broader, sector-wide conversation on supporting cultural institutions and their staff, moving beyond the specific case of the Brooklyn Museum.
- The challenges faced by the Brooklyn Museum are part of a larger, systemic issue affecting many cultural institutions
- Commissioner Cumbo suggests future discussions should involve a wider range of stakeholders, including board members, foundations, and corporations
- The focus should be on finding long-term solutions to support the entire cultural sector
- There's an acknowledgment that city government alone cannot solve all the financial challenges faced by cultural institutions
- Both Commissioner Cumbo and Council Member De La Rosa agree on the importance of proactive dialogue and collaboration to address these issues
Laurie Cumbo
0:43:11
So we have supported at the highest level that we possibly could, but the downturn on so many levels, I suspect we're gonna be in this meeting room quite a bit Mhmm.
0:43:24
Discussing a lot of the challenges that our organizations are facing.
0:43:27
That's why on so many levels, it's it's unfortunate that the focus here is specifically the Brooklyn Museum.
0:43:34
And this really needs to be a sector conversation in terms of how do we hold up not only our cultural institutions, but the staff that make up these cultural institutions.
0:43:46
How do we protect programming?
0:43:48
So I hope that we can come back and have a more robust conversation that's not really focused specifically on the Brooklyn Museum because this issue is so systemic that most of my time as a commissioner is trying to help fulfill and solve for many of these issues so that they can avoid coming to this point.
0:44:11
And some who you've read in the headlines have already gotten to that point, and we've tried to help and shepherd those organizations so that they don't have to close their doors.
Carmen N. De La Rosa
0:44:20
Yeah.
0:44:21
I think we share that goal of preventing this situation, obviously.
0:44:25
But when it does happen, you know, the council does have oversight and
Laurie Cumbo
0:44:29
Yes.
Carmen N. De La Rosa
0:44:30
Has the ability to call, you know, for a public hearing.
0:44:33
I those are all of my questions.
0:44:35
I thank you.
0:44:36
Colleagues, any other follow ups?
0:44:38
No?
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Thank you, commissioner, for your time and Thank for being here today and and being a willing partner and helping us to resolve this.
0:44:46
We really appreciate it.
Laurie Cumbo
0:44:47
And I wanna thank you for calling this hearing in today.
0:44:51
I wanna thank all of you that are here today.
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This is a very serious issue.
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We understand the severity of the issue.
0:44:58
We want to work with you moving forward, and I hope that we can do it proactively.
0:45:04
I think that we need more internal conversations.
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We need more phone calls.
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We need more meetings.
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Because often the ability to sit around a table and to talk through ideas and issues can really help us come up with tangible solutions that'll be long term.
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So we now all have each other's numbers and we can reach out and we can begin a dialogue that will be healthy not only for us but for the entire sector.
0:45:35
So thank you all so much.
Carmen N. De La Rosa
0:45:36
Thank you both.
0:45:37
Thank you so much.
Laurie Cumbo
0:45:43
And I just wanna add, I'll be able to stay for a portion of the hearing, but because we didn't know that far in advance, I do have other meetings that I have to attend today.
0:45:51
But I do wanna hear as much of the testimony as possible.
0:45:54
So thank you.
Carmen N. De La Rosa
0:45:55
And as you know, we livestream so you can put it in and have some Friday night entertainment at home.
Laurie Cumbo
0:46:03
That is true.
0:46:05
Thank you so much.
Carmen N. De La Rosa
0:46:06
Thank you, commissioner.