Annual Report Fiscal Year 2019 July 1 | 2018- June 30 | 2019
This annual report covers fiscal year 2019 from July 1, 2018- June 30, 2019. We explore this exciting year with not just numerical data but by highlighting it with visuals showing our broad range of exhibitions and programs. The McDonough displayed 10 exhibitions, hosted 1,823 visitors through lectures, events, performances and tours and celebrated our Department of Art Alumni with a juried exhibition and full color catalog. This year we continued our history of bringing programs to the campus and broader community that are relevant to our contemporary culture with exhibitions that focused on global/local environmental concerns and worldwide human rights violations. We were also proud this year to support and be the venue for YSU Empty Bowls, an event driven by the YSU Department of Art Ceramics Program and benefiting the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley.
McDonough Vision and Mission Statement The John J McDonough Museum of Art seeks to expand the teaching and research function of the University by generating compelling academic and public programs. The mission of the McDonough Museum reinforces the mission of the Cliffe College of Creative Arts and Communication and that of Youngstown State University in placing academic excellence, scholarship and innovation at the center of our operations. We work together with faculty, graduate and undergraduate students of the Department of Art to develop programs and exhibitions that enhance the Department’s contemporary and interdisciplinary teaching mission. We therefore align curation with curriculum to strengthen and deepen the educational function of the museum in teaching and training students. The museum offers a range of dynamic programs that include exhibitions, installations, performances, and lectures inviting campus and community members to discover and explore meaning in contemporary art.
McDonough Museum of Art Sponsors A & C Beverage, Aladdin’s, Cedars West End, Dom’s Ice House, Duncan Press Inc., Edward’s Florist, Giannios Candy, Inspired Catering by Kravitz, L’uva Bella Winery and Redhead Wine, Markko Vineyard, The Metro Monthly, Mix 98.9 and 570 WKBN, Noble Creature Cask House, Pressed Coffee Bar & Eatery, Shelli’s Cookies, Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, 27 WKBN/Fox Youngstown/33WYTV/MyYTV and Youngstown State University Foundation Youngstown State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability, age, religion or veteran/military status in its programs or activities. Please visit www.ysu.edu/ada-accessibility for contact information for persons designated to handle questions about this policy.
History Opening in 1991 the John J McDonough Museum of Art was built in response to Youngstown State University’s need for exhibition space and the generosity of an avid local art collector. Dr. John J. McDonough, a Youngstown physician, offered the proceeds of the sale of his painting “Gloucester Harbor” by Childe Hassam to help fund construction of a new building. With additional monies raised with the help of Attorney Paul M Dutton and from the State of Ohio, construction of the Museum began in the fall of 1990. Internationally known architects Gwathmey, Siegel & Associates worked together with the then local firm Ricciuti, Buchanan and Balog to design the twenty thousand square foot facility. Paul Ricciuti participated in the dedication ceremony held on October 26, 1991. The Museum stands as a testament to Modernist Design in its simplicity and sensitivity to the site. The McDonough is the University Art Museum and YSU’s Center for Contemporary Art. It features changing exhibitions, installations, performances and lectures by regional, national and international artists. It also functions as public outreach for the Cliffe College of Creative Arts and Communication and the Department of Art, exhibiting work by students, faculty and alumni. In addition, the Museum offers free lectures, performances and programs organized in collaboration with various departments on campus and the community at large.
Message from the Museum Coordinator
In Fall 2018 we opened our exhibition season with Sanctuary and RESORT, two bodies of work that address important socio-political issues. John Guy Petruzzi, an Ohio artist and YSU alumnus, explored issues of climate change, declining biodiversity and habitat loss through a series of intense watercolors. RESORT, a traveling exhibition of works by artists Andrew Ellis Johnson and Susanne Slavick, offered a compelling exploration of the barriers to asylum in the ongoing global refugee crisis. We produced a number of well attended interdisciplinary programs to complement these two dynamic exhibitions including gallery talks, a guided bird-walk, a panel discussion titled The Fate of Birds and film screenings by New Immigrant and Refugee Visions from Community Supported Film. Spring 2019 opened with a blockbuster exhibition of alumni artwork, featuring 88 works by 85 alumni artists from across the US. We had a record number of guests at the opening reception with robust attendance throughout the run of the show. The Museum published a lovely catalog of artworks from the exhibition and had a group of our alumni artists featured in the YSU Alumni Magazine. Throughout the academic year we continued the tradition of hosting the Department of Art Lecture Series, Student Art Association Annual Juried Exhibition, two BFA Exhibitions and the Empty Bowls fundraiser to benefit the Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley. A few new additions to our programming included the inaugural MFA Exhibition for the first class of graduates in the Department of Art’s Interdisciplinary Studio Arts program, Open Projector Night – an open mic style venue for short films and videos, and performances featuring students from the Dana School of Music. This year we also acquired a Virtual Reality unit for use in the Museum. It has been a fun and popular addition to our exhibition space that also paves the way for the McDonough to feature artwork made specifically for this unique platform. Summer 2019 brought us the Studio Conversations in Art Education exhibition featuring artwork by women in Art Education at the higher education level who maintain studio practices. The exhibition coincided with the publication of volume 45, issue 1 of the journal Visual Arts Research entitled: “Women art educators in higher education: Conversations on studio practices,” edited by Art Education professor, Dr. Lillian Lewis. We also partnered with the Butler Institute of American Art for Centennial Impressions: A Celebration of Prints highlighting masterworks of modern and contemporary printmaking from the Butler permanent collection in celebration of their 100th anniversary. There are so many people that I would like to thank for their incredible support of the McDonough Museum of Art and its programming. It is all of you who make the McDonough Museum of Art what it is and what it will be: Numerous and dedicated patrons, MAD About the Arts sponsors and vendors, Members, Students, Faculty, Museum staff, James P. Tressel, President, Dr. Brien Smith, Provost, Dr. Phyllis Paul, Dean Cliffe College, Greg Moring, Associate Dean Cliffe College, Joy Christiansen Erb, Chair Department of Art and the Greater Youngstown community
2018-2019 Programming Initiatives
Exhibitions: • Sanctuary • RESORT • Fall Graduating BFA Exhibition • 2019 Alumni Exhibition • 83rd Annual Juried Student Art & Design Exhibition • Spring Graduating BFA Exhibition • MFA Thesis Exhibition: David Belgrad’s Re-Creation and Kathleen Gallagher’s Pulchra Incrementum • Studio Conversations in Art Education • Centennial Impressions: A Celebration of Prints Gallery Talks: • Susanne Slavick and Andrew Ellis Johnson, RESORT Gallery Talk • John Guy Petruzzi, Sanctuary Gallery Talk Additional programs: • New Immigrant and Refugee Visions, Short Films • John Guy Petruzzi, Guided Bird Walk | Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary • Sanctuary Panel Discussion: The Fate of Birds | Dr. Brian Bonhomme, Dr. Ian Renne & John Guy Petruzzi • Empty Bowls YSU, Charity Event | Benefitting the Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley • Open Projector Night • Ceramics Triple Threat Performances: • Spoonbeams Recital • Brianna Crawford Senior Voice Recital • Queen of Discomfort (Sofia Caetano with Elliot Sheedy): Touring Multimedia Installation • Teri Frame, Whiteface Department of Art Lectures (DALS): • Imin Yeh • Diana Cooper • Eric Lopresti • Jennifer Vanderpool • Gloria Wilson • Teri Frame • Sarah Marshall
2018-2019 Programming Initiatives continued Beecher Lectures: • Igor Vamos (The Yes Men) • Claire Hentschker • Lauren Goshinski • Sofia Caetano African-American History Month Lecture: • JSTN CLMN Tours: • Red Hat Ladies • Beaver County Rehabilitation Center • Boardman HS • Newton Falls HS • Lake Center Christian School • Department of Art classes External Events: • New Faculty Reception • Youngstown Press Club Meeting • Youngstown City Schools Professional Development Day • YSU Art Day Lunch and Panel Discussion • Retirement Party for Mike Caldwell • OAEA Symposium Reception Additional programming initiatives introduced for 2019-2020 will include the Emerging Artist Series, comprised of underrepresented visual, performance and musical artists. The McDonough Museum will be partnering with the Dana School of Music to launch the Muse Series featuring innovative expressions of contemporary culture. It serves to enrich Northeast Ohio with recitals of groundbreaking new music and dynamic collaborations. SCRIBE literary collaborations will take place with two different programs: students from English and Art courses have been invited to create journals in conjunction with one of our spring exhibitions; Lit Youngstown will present ekphrastic poetry workshops and the Museum will host a poetry reading inspired by the work from the Annual Juried Student Art & Design Exhibition. The McDonough will take part in the Working Class Studies conference in May hosting related exhibitions and conference sessions. Virtual reality artwork from students in the Department of Art Digital Media program will be featured on the Museum’s new VR Unit.
Financial Summary The McDonough Museum of Art receives an annual allocation from Youngstown State University. We received $145,302.00 for FY19. In 2019 the McDonough received $11,525.00 from the Ohio Arts Council in the final year of a four-year Sustainability Grant. The Sustainability program supports ongoing arts and cultural activities in all genres. Sustainability grants are four-year awards for organizational operating support. Funds may be used for a wide variety of expenses in the general operation of an organization. Grantees may use Sustainability funds to support general artistic or administrative expenses, and other allowable expenses including, marketing, program planning, education, and evaluation. An annual disbursement also comes from the McDonough Fund- this Trust was set up by Dr. John J McDonough and is managed by the Youngstown State University Foundation. For FY19 the allocation was $20,200. Our share from the 2018 Mad About the Arts benefit was $18,556 and was available for expenditures in FY19. We also received income of $2,515 from memberships and sponsor contributions. The McDonough also received a legacy gift of $25,000 from the estate of Dr. Albert B. Cinelli designated to the corpus of the Trust held by the Youngstown State University Foundation. Dr. Cinelli was an avid supporter of the arts and as a friend of Dr. McDonough was a true advocate for the Museum. He was integral in bringing an exhibition collaboration with Ohio Wesleyan’s Richard M. Ross Museum and was a key lender for a show celebrating those in the Valley who were inspired to collect by Dr. McDonough. His McDonough Museum family will miss his keen and curious mind, his kind heart, generous spirit and his passionate love of the arts. Thanks also to the Cinelli family in particular his wife Suzanne for their generosity.
FY19 Income
Income Memberships/Subscriptions - Individual Institutional $2,015 Individual Contributions/Sponsors $500 Concessions, Sales, Rentals, etc $434 Income on Investments and Endowments -Trust $20,200 Mad About the Arts Benefit $18,556 Ohio Arts Council Grant $11,525 Annual University Allocation $145,302 Total Income $198,532
FY19 Expenses
Total Expenses Personnel Administrative $81,923 Student Wages $20,744 Fringe Benefits $30,178 Subtotal $132,845 Operating Expenses Supplies Summary $7,731 Travel $1,619 BRE- Receptions/Permit $2,070 Dues & Memberships $500 University Publications Catalogs, Posters $10,361 Public Relations & Advertising $18,601 Postage $1,683 Contractural Fees & Services $8,500 Security $136 Awards $1,200 Miscellaneous Design & Printing $2,966 Subtotal $55,367
Attendance
McDonough Total Attendance Chart 5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2018-19
2017-18
2016-17
2016-15
2015-14
McDonough Museum Attendance 2014-19 3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2018-19
2016-17
2017-18 Exhibitions
Gallery Talks/Lectures
Events
Perfomances
2016-15 Tours
Workshops/Conferences
2015-14
Strategic Planning Initiatives SWOT Analysis Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Strengths • Provides students and the community with an opportunity to view high quality, leading edge, interdisciplinary programming & exhibitions of contemporary art. • Free programming through exhibitions, lectures, performances supporting the aesthetic culture of YSU & the region • As a unit of Cliffe College and the Department of Art we service the mission of the Department by highlighting the expertise of faculty across the curriculum through lectures, performances, panel discussion & exhibitions. • Experienced staff provides high quality expertise and support service to students, faculty and artists. • Student are provided the opportunity for professional practice through student exhibitions and student assistant positions. • Serves as a unique center for public to engage with the arts • Encouraging up and coming artists through the Emerging Artists Series. • Through its public programs disseminates and promotes the institutional brand • Since its opening has consistently been awarded funding by the Ohio Art Council grant agency. Also integral as a partner in helping YSU secure a National Endowment of the Arts Our Town Grant. • Contributes to the creative economy in the state and the region providing financial support for artists • Enhances relationships with alumni through the alumni exhibition • Highlight works that are relevant to contemporary culture and encouragement of artists whose voices and view-points are underrepresented. • Burgeoning and past community partnerships with both cultural institutions like the Butler Institute of American Art and emerging business/technologies like the Youngstown Business Incubator thus serving as outreach for the YSU, the Cliffe College & Department of Art • Unique twenty thousand square foot facility designed by internationally known architects Gwathmey, Siegal & Associates, larger than most exhibition facilities for universities in our region. • The facility is centrally located near other cultural resources and has a state-of-the-art auditorium for classes, lectures & panel discussions • Visitors have hands-on experiences with our new VR station which provides cutting edge technological experiences through the visual arts.
Weaknesses • Do not have a broad regional reputation • Need for more minority and underrepresented artists in programming • Lack of artists with national reputations to draw audiences and media • Insufficient educational outreach and lack of tour materials • Not enough grant writing or applications to foundations for additional funding • Inadequate feedback gathering process to help make programmatic decisions • Lack of community representation on McDonough Advisory Committee • Part-time Coordinator is charged with overseeing the Museum & its programming • Aging building infrastructure and lack of facilities upgrade
Opportunities • Promote diversity & inclusivity at the McDonough through exhibitions, events and programming and by displaying works by artists with underrepresented voices and view-points creating a place where experimentation and collaboration are encouraged. • Develop additional niche programming like the emerging artist series and open projector night. • Create internships to assist with additional programming and expand professional development opportunities for students • Increase interdisciplinary collaborations with university departments across campus • Develop ways to make greater and longer lasting connections with Alumni in the intervening years between the alumni exhibition. • Create a program to work with Art Education students in developing educational materials and activities to be used during school tours • Leverage existing partnerships and create new ones sharing resources and audiences/patrons in innovative and creative ways • Develop strategies collaborating with regional museums and cultural sites to increase attendance • Create shared exhibition opportunities other small local colleges & community colleges • Expand our marketing initiatives into new areas for the promotion of exhibitions, programs and events • Identify and seek additional grant and foundation opportunities such as the Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation, Ford Foundation, etc • Rental of facility to build revenue.
• Limited visibility regionally
Threats
• Competition from other cultural institutions in close proximity for both patrons and funding • Economic and population decline in Northeastern Ohio • Reduction of support for the arts nationwide • Local political support for the arts has been mixed • Business community and potential benefactors/patrons are not fully engaged with the arts and it is difficult to access corporate support • Lack of sustained strong advocates for arts and culture and citizen engagement is limited • The region does not have an image or identity around arts and culture • The travel and tourism industry historically has not linked its efforts or given cultural tourism a prominent role in its marketing/attraction/programming efforts • No area arts council or other cultural agency to foster arts activities and share resources • Extensive new visual arts facilities located regionally in Kent & Akron • Lack of funding has resulted in cuts in arts education in the region’s k-12 education systems
Action Plan [Challenges] • Develop educational outreach plan. • Build a school list with contact information of art teachers. • Develop educational outreach plan. • Build a school list with contact information of art teachers. • Develop multiple school visit plans to accommodate groups who want activities during their tours, as well as for those groups who prefer self-guided tour. • Post tour information on our website. •Broaden community representation through Advisory Committee, programming, events and exhibitions. • Invite a community member who is connected to the arts to sit on the McDonough Advisory Committee to assist in decision-making about exhibitions and programs. • Research, pursue and cultivate programming, events and exhibitions that promote diversity and feature minority artists. • Reach out to local community organizations that promote diversity to locate artists. • Contact organizations of minority artists in other cities such as Cleveland and Pittsburgh. • Pursue more artists with national/international reputations to develop our regional reputation. • Seek out pre-organized rental exhibitions that highlight internationally renowned artists. • Identify and seek additional funding opportunities through grants and foundations to sustain and develop new programs. • Research which foundations support arts programming in the region, and match those with Museum programs. • Develop new partnerships with community organizations for collaborative programming, events and exhibitions. • Contact other organizations that offer arts programming such as SMARTS and YWCA to develop shared programming. • Contact non-arts organizations to discuss how the Museum might serve their constituents. • Improve ways to make greater and longer lasting connections with Alumni in the intervening years between the alumni exhibitions. • Add alumni to our email list for exhibition and event notifications. • Offer a special alumni mixer or reception in the Museum. • Foster interdisciplinary collaborations for programming with university departments across campus. • Reach out to department chairs and professors across campus to hold classroom activities in the Museum. • Reach out to department chairs and professors across campus to discuss how we can develop Museum programming together that complements Museum exhibitions. • Reach out to department chairs and professors across campus to offer space for conference programming.
• Reach out to small local colleges & community colleges to establish collaborative exhibition opportunities. • Develop program for facility rental to build revenue • Define parameters and pricing Develop multiple school visit plans to accommodate groups who want activities during their tours, as well as for those groups who prefer self-guided tour. • Post tour information on our website. • Broaden community representation through Advisory Committee, programming, events and exhibitions. • Invite a community member who is connected to the arts to sit on the McDonough Advisory Committee to assist in decision-making about exhibitions and programs. • Research, pursue and cultivate programming, events and exhibitions that promote diversity and feature minority artists. • Reach out to local community organizations that promote diversity to locate artists. • Contact organizations of minority artists in other cities such as Cleveland and Pittsburgh. • Pursue more artists with national/international reputations to develop our regional reputation. • Seek out pre-organized rental exhibitions that highlight internationally renowned artists. • Identify and seek additional funding opportunities through grants and foundations to sustain and develop new programs. • Research which foundations support arts programming in the region, and match those with Museum programs. • Develop new partnerships with community organizations for collaborative programming, events
and exhibitions.
• Contact other organizations that offer arts programming such as SMARTS and YWCA to develop shared programming. • Contact non-arts organizations to discuss how the Museum might serve their constituents. • Improve ways to make greater and longer lasting connections with Alumni in the intervening years between the alumni exhibitions. • Add alumni to our email list for exhibition and event notifications. • Offer a special alumni mixer or reception in the Museum. • Foster interdisciplinary collaborations for programming with university departments across campus. • Reach out to department chairs and professors across campus to hold classroom activities in the Museum. • Reach out to department chairs and professors across campus to discuss how we can develop Museum programming together that complements Museum exhibitions. • Reach out to department chairs and professors across campus to offer space for conference programming. • Reach out to small local colleges & community colleges to establish collaborative exhibition opportunities. • Develop program for facility rental to build revenue • Define parameters and pricing
Action Plan [Opportunities] • Reach out to Art Education faculty and students to assist in developing educational materials and activities to be used during school tours. • Contact Art Education faculty to work on the inclusion of this as part of student classwork for a particular course. • Research what other museums are doing to engage young audiences. • Create internships to assist with additional programming and expand professional development opportunities for students. • Work with MFA Coordinator to develop position and job description for a graduate assistantship. • Work with Department of Art Chair to develop position and job description for an undergraduate internship within the department. • Develop strategies for increasing attendance through programming, events and exhibitions. • Increase marketing to increase awareness at the University, in the greater Youngstown community and throughout the region. • Expand our email list for exhibition and event notifications. • Research and pursue new advertising venues for continued expansion of our marketing initiatives into new regions. • Identify and pursue radio, TV and print advertising opportunities outside of our immediate area, such as Western Pennsylvania, Cleveland/Akron area and northwest West Virginia. • Increase niche programming like the emerging artist series and open projector night. • Add literary events such as partnering with Lit Youngstown for poetry workshops and readings. • Work with the YSU Dance ensemble to develop an evening of contemporary dance in the Museum. • Develop a short film and video festival. • Improve our feedback plan to increase accessibility for all of the Museum’s programming. • Acquire a QR code for patrons to scan for access to our survey on their mobile devices. • Print copies of our survey to hand out and collect during events for those who prefer to fill out a paper copy. • Leverage existing partnerships with other cultural institutions to share resources and audiences/patrons in innovative and creative ways. • Work with the Butler Institute on joint programs such as the Young Collector’s Group gatherings. • Contact YSU Student Activities to see how we can contribute to their programming.