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May Issue 2003
Burroughs-Chapin Art Museum in Myrtle Beach, SC, Drops Admission Fee
The
Franklin G. Burroughs - Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum in Myrtle
Beach, SC, has announced it is dropping all admission charges
beginning May 6, 2003. The Art Museum joins a number of art museums
nationwide which have foregone admission fees in an effort to
build audiences and make art exhibitions accessible to the entire
community.
"The Art Museum's beach house image stands as a visual celebration of Myrtle Beach's past, present and future," said Art Museum Director Patricia Goodwin in announcing the change for the six-year-old institution. "We want all visitors - residents and tourist alike - to visit as often as they wish and enjoy our wide variety of changing exhibits."
The Museum Board of Trustees unanimously approved the new policy after offering a "Free Sunday at the Art Museum" with each exhibition since Jan., 2002. Attendance figures increased almost tenfold when visitors were not faced with the obstacle of an admission fee. In Feb. of this year, the Art Museum held its first "Free Family at the Art Museum" with a Chinese-New Year celebration that brought about 400 people to the Museum for the four-hour event. The board's goal is to increase patronage by governments, corporations, foundations and individuals as enthusiasm for the Art Museum's exhibitions and programs increase. The Museum also hopes donations at the door and increased gift shop revenues will offset the loss of admission fees.
As Lineta Pritchard, chairman of the Museum Board of Trustees, noted, "Every great city needs a great art museum. We want our museum to pulse with life and activity, and we don't want admission fees to stand in the way of anyone enjoying one of Myrtle beach's best-kept secrets." Pritchard also added that membership in the Museum is now more important than ever to maintain "the bedrock of support" necessary for building and sustaining a viable, community-involved institution.
The
new policy goes into effect as the Museum prepares for its landmark
exhibition Southern Images of Faith, Family and Friends: The
Art of Jonathan Green, which opens June 12 and continues through
Oct. 26, 2003. The exhibition of works by the Gardens Corner,
SC, native will include 33 pieces on loan from individuals and
institutions - all vividly and imaginatively depicting the Gullah
people.
Visitors currently will be able to enjoy the exhibition, From the Garden, an exhibition of ceramics by former Myrtle Beach resident Alice Ballard Munn along with metal garden sculpture by emerging Georgetown, SC, artist Aaron Pierce and fabric tapestries by Anna Ferri, on view through June 8, 2003.
For further information
check our SC Institutional Gallery listings, call the Museum at
843/238-2510 or on the web at (www.B-CArtMuseum.org).
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