Background Report - Arizona Town Hall

give both of their time and wealth. Their social standing is directly tied to their support of
their community. The idea that a community, its citizens and its institutions must be supported
and maintained for the betterment of all is the basis for many social institutions. Libraries,
museums, cultural centers, gardens, zoos, and universities all thrive because of the support
and generosity of citizens who believe in the value of these non-profit entities. City, state, and
federal governments also recognize the value of these institutions for the citizens and grant
them distinct status and assist them with public revenue. All of this aforementioned support
has been forged in the east over many decades. In the west, however, this delicate web of
support is both relatively new and increasingly fragile.
The reasons for this are many, but in the west a widely-held philosophy grounded in
individualism clashes with collective desires and community building. Individualism, as the
word implies, focuses on the individual over the group and stresses the importance of
self-reliance and independence. Among the many ironies related to this philosophy in the
United States is that it is most often articulated and affirmed through collective enterprises
and institutions, e.g. public schools, mass media, and other technologies. And some of
the people most likely in the past to proclaim and advance the power of the individual were
artists such as Oscar Wilde who rebelled against the tyranny and oppression of the majority.
If the attachment to individualism could be set aside, western states could get down to the
need to build, shape, and support communities and their attendant institutions. It is my
vision for SMoCA that it further develop its role as a builder of community. Our exhibitions
and educational programs have always reached out to the public to engage them in
intelligent conversation and with stimulating ideas, but our museum spaces, hours, and
outreach have sometimes been intimidating and limited. To correct this, I will be
changing the hours of the museum to better serve the working members of the community,
attempting to eliminate or reduce ticket costs, and transforming one of the museum
spaces into a flex use space for educational and leisure activities. I would like to believe
that if we can support our western communities and institutions, then we would not need to
send our arts enthusiasts east so that they can come back west.
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