After the meeting, she sent an email to the docents, writing that she had been removed as a result of standing up for museum staff for the last year, within the Board of Trustees and most recently on record with the AVLWatchdog.org article., Nancy Ferguson, a 30-year museum volunteer and former trustee, told Asheville Watchdog, I was appalled to learn of Ms. Weitzmans dismissal. I couldnt have said it better myself. How were these funds stewarded? I hardly said anything. And yes, Im proudly woke.) . The museum held a member appreciation party Nov. 10, the day after the Watchdogstory appeared. Time for an even closer look at this situation. Krider said she told Myers, Why do you think you can just stonewall people who are really struggling to understand your role and some of whats been going on here? , According to Weitzman, Benites got defensive and said, I dont think this is appropriate, and Pam said, Im hosting a party. , Weitzman said Krider was shaking her finger at Myers but stopped when Myers asked her to. The GCMA will continue to be closed while it completes several planned building projects. Krider, according to Weitzman, continued with her rant about a terrible way to run an organization.. Its an embarrassment. Theyre not hearing. Stop wagging your finger, didnt even notice I was doing it., Krider said all Weitzman did was tell me where Pam was standing and repeat something she had already apparently said that working for her is really difficult or however she worded it.. Simply dismissing this effort as cancel culture is an shallow, elitist view. Two recent articles in the Asheville Watchdog have exposed how Pam Myers, Executive Director of the Asheville Art Museum, has routinely mistreated Museum staff during her tenure, creating a culture of fear, retaliation, and high attrition that has twice been brought to the Museums Board of Trustees. Weitzman said she wanted to make clear that she was not the one confronting Myers at the party. This petition starter stood up and took action. Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Every request was honored, Krider said. I have also strictest the hell museum off my to do and support list. It was a pleasure serving with her on the Board the entire time I was on it. Theyre not hearing. I never heard anyone speak with such divine right, Krider said. We invite you to join us! Asheville Watchdog now seems to be on a vendetta. Weitzman responded that she attempted a group effort and failed. I think they felt threatened anyway, physically, and they were verbally attacked., Saenger allowed Weitzman an opportunity to respond at the board meeting before she was banished. She returned to the group, and Lewis approached Myers. To view financial information and our governance, please visit our Finance and Governance page. [1] My long time experience with organizations tells me that this situation will fester and not go away. 120 College Street. I tried to stand in front of Pam. At some point words need to translate into both action and changed behavior, not just more words. Museum Members receive 12 months of free general admission. Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. These are real people whos lives she personally has harmed. And AAM gets that money whether or not students go. development, and promotion of craft titles and art gallery books. For the record, I am canceling my membership. In one email to Click, the chair of the human resources committee, and then board chair Butch Patrick, Weitzman wrote that fear of being fired has created a large morale deficit compounded by the inability to speak up., She asked for immediate action and wrote that there have been issues and concerns for a long period of time.. So we tear down the Vance Monument but leave the Queen of the Glass Palace in place? She said that former employees had told her, unsolicited, that they were still experiencing nightmares, PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] and continual therapy from their experience working at the museum. Clearly there has been a consistent and ongoing pattern of abuse of volunteers and employees by Ms. Myers, which quite frankly reads like nothing short of a reign of terror .very very bad public relations no matter how magnificent your prized glass edifice there in Pack Square is. I, for one, will have no interest in the Art Museum until this issue is addressed and employees are given a voice. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Utilizing the current building footprint of the Museum, this environmentally friendly project includes the historic preservation of the Museums current North Wing (the 1926 Pack Library building), renovation of prior Museum spaces, and new construction to transform current disparate spaces into a cohesive, coherent, and inviting Museum. They garnered support from the city, county, and other government sources for renovation, but tax payer dollars do not have a stake in year to year operations to my knowledge. They orchestrated it all., Weitzman had volunteered at the museum since 2016 and held a seat on the board as president of the Docents Association. Leave, I did. The high handed kicking her off of the board and a docent and as the representative of the docents sets in motion disastrous community relations problems. We fully believe in its vision to transform lives through art. Admission is now $15 for two floors of art as the second floor just has a children's hands on art room. You said to me you will not stand down on this. Our Vision + Mission: To transform lives through art. A woman Weitzman identified as Lindsay Rosson, director of finance and operations at the museum, removed Kriders wine glass from her hand and asked her to leave, according to Weitzman, Krider and Lewis. Three of the board members who resigned in May, including Huff and Green, told The Watchdog the treatment of employees and the boards response was a factor in their decision to leave. Ousted Trustee Describes Culture of Fear at Asheville Art Museum, Hyperallergic, 11/18/22, https://hyperallergic.com/781084/ousted-trustee-describes-culture-of-fear-at-asheville-art-museum/, Trustee Who Criticized Director Is Ousted from Art Museum Board, Asheville Watchdog, 11/17/22, https://avlwatchdog.org/trustee-ousted-from-museum-board/, Not A Pretty Picture at the Asheville Art Museum, Asheville Watchdog, 11/9/22, https://avlwatchdog.org/not-a-pretty-picture-at-the-asheville-art-museum/. There are laws and responsibilities that any board has, especially a board of a not-for-profit entity. This is the inevitable -but alas very predictable- retribution for the curtain being pulled aside by the Asheville Watchdog expose. Asheville Watchdog spoke separately with Weitzman, Lewis, and Krider the day after the event. Jun 17, 2022 - Anonymous Employee in Asheville, NC Recommend CEO Approval Business Outlook Pros My colleagues at the Museum were supportive, creative, and truly nice people. I would love to see a deep dive into the funding of the museum. Krider said that she was disturbed by what she had read in the Watchdog story. He said an Asheville Watchdog investigative story last week, in which Weitzman was quoted supporting ex-employees who complained of a toxic workplace, had tainted the image of the museum., As a final straw, Saenger said, Pamela Myers, the museums executive director, and a couple of others were threatened at a museum party the night of Nov. 10. Great coverage, thanks for exposing the toxic environment. I never heard anyone speak with such divine right, Krider said. Your involvement is essential, now and in the future. Krider said she asked Myers about the Watchdog story, and Myers declined to discuss it, saying, according to Krider, Youre in my house.. Based on these articles, the museum board is composed and operating based on a friends and family and buddy system style approach that ensures most if not all members will agree to self protect each other and fend off critiques. As a friend of the arts and the Museum, your support is more important than ever. The museum held a member appreciation party Nov. 10, the day after the Watchdog story appeared. I think this cancel culture has gone so totally out of control, and I think thats exactly what Michelle is dealing with, Zahler said, not recognizing the fact that all the good work that had gone on before, that there was an issue, and because of that, Pam should be canceled. I dont do this lightly, said Paul Saenger, chair of the museums Board of Trustees, according to a recording of the board meeting obtained by Asheville Watchdog. Through his work, Roland engages visitors in dialogues around community, social contract, identity, biases, and other deeply human experiences. "It's financially healthy. Apparently they built Pams house and thats all we need to know. Three of the board members who resigned in May, including Huff and Green, told The Watchdog the treatment of employees and the boards response was a factor in their decision to leave. After the meeting, Weitzman told Asheville Watchdog she believed her removal was retribution for challenging the museums leadership. Required fields are marked *. Late night Thursdays until 9 pm. The first floor had minimal art, just some in the lobby and framed photography. @ Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library, Asheville Restaurant Week Returns January 17-23, Warren Wilson College Announces Courses for Lifelong Learners, Asheville City Schools Graduation Rate Above State Average, How to Dispose of, or Recycle, That Christmas Tree, Flat Rock Playhouse Announces 2023 Music on the Rock Concert Series, Employment Agencies, Consultants & Businesses. Pam should not have been in charge of day to day operations in 2015, and it is shocking that she still is. But I feel like that has been compromised on numerous occasions by Michelle Weitzman.. This success can be attributed to the great work the staff did in marketing and administration. The word used by three former staff is traumatic. , Kevin Click, the board vice-chair and a former human resources executive, said in a written response to questions from Asheville Watchdog that Myers has been very positive about the coaching and feedback she is receiving.. Our Story; Guild; Chorus; Symphonettes; Music Director Darko Butorac; Musicians . As a long term Asheville Art Museum member, donor, former volunteer, former Gallery Associate, and current Adult Studio instructor, I am little more than an outside observer to the day to day operations of the museum so this story has been revealing. from the museum in Asheville. An outspoken member of the Asheville Art Museums board, the only current trustee to speak publicly about employee complaints of mistreatment, was ousted from the board Tuesday and removed as a museum volunteer. A gift to the Capital Campaign is a gift to our communitys future. Upon achieving independence, the school adopted its current . Rep. Richard Hudson (R) introduced national reciprocity for concealed carry in the 118th Congress on Monday night. The number of staff that many principals manage far outweighs the art museum staff. 828-350-8484. info@blackmountaincollege.org. "I don't do this lightly," said Paul Saenger, chair of the museum's Board of Trustees, according to a recording of the board . It was not an attack.. Asheville, NC 28801 Mailing Address PO Box 1717 Asheville, NC 28802-1717 Phone 828.253.3227 Art Inquiries For exhibition proposals, information about artworks, or artwork donations, click here for more information. Zahler mentioned an issue, an apparent reference to employee complaints about Myerss management dating to at least 2015. The Appleby Exhibition Hall was not open so if that part was open there may be more art in there. Weitzman, who until Tuesday had also been a volunteer docent leading tours of the museum, engaged in a pattern of disruptive behavior, Saenger said in the meeting. The Museums galleries, theMuseum Store, andPerspective Caf are open to the public. Thank you for supporting the arts! Big changes happened in the Museum building during our major expansion and renovation project right in the heart of downtown Asheville. I showed her where Pam was, Weitzman said. Staff are not and never have requested that the board acquiesce to a certain set of demands. But Zahler also referenced all the good work.. Given these extreme circumstances and the weight of whats happening inside that museum, it is clear they are continuing to choose one person over the health of the institution, Reilly said. Alas, Ms. Weitzman is no longer there as a gadfly. She makes more than the people running the city government. Asheville Art Museum. Open daily 11am6pm. "negro dog" "red light" house 4-H Club 10th Cavalry Regiment 50th anniversary 60th anniversary 100th anniversary 135th Regiment 500 block 1619 A.M.E. church A.M.E. Zion A.M.E. Zion Church abandoned building abandoned cemetery abandoned child aboriginal people abortion Abraham Lincoln abuse access road accidental death accidental injury accident . Bill Durr (Ward & Smith) will serve as president of the board of directors with Beth Lane (McGuire Wood & Bissette) as . In addition to teaching violin and piano at AMS on a part-time basis since 2008, she has been a performing musician for over 35 years. 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