By Jane Smith
Delray Beach commissioners have not settled on a plan yet for how best to use the Cornell Museum of Art at Old School Square during the fast-approaching summer season.
Following a May 17 commission workshop on the subject, City Manager Terrence Moore was to meet with the Community Redevelopment Agency’s executive director and Arts Warehouse manager about their ideas for the museum, then report back to the commission at its June 14 meeting.
The commission has been considering a “Summer of Delray Arts” idea suggested by Commissioner Ryan Boylston that would give local nonprofits a chance to provide displays in the museum’s four galleries.
Many questions remain, including how displaying at the Cornell would affect the organizations’ finances.
At the workshop, Deputy Vice Mayor Juli Casale questioned the cost to set up the exhibits, the hours the Cornell would be open and whether the Cornell would charge an entrance fee.
Vice Mayor Adam Frankel, who previously met with CRA Executive Director Renee Jadusingh and Arts Warehouse manager Grace Gdaniec in February about their interest in running the Cornell this summer, wants the emphasis to be on local cultural and arts groups.
“We have so many nonprofits in our city. Let’s showcase them, giving a six-week exhibit for the Spady,” Frankel said, referring to the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum.
But Casale said displaying at the Cornell might not benefit the organizations because each one has its own building to create displays.
Boylston said: “You are minimizing our arts and culture community.”
“I have been begging for a workshop for nearly one year,” Boylston said. “It’s criminal not to explore turning over the Old School Square campus to our arts and culture community.”
The commission has been trying to figure out what to do with the Cornell museum since it voted 3-2 last August to end the lease with the former Old School Square operators. The commission gave the former operators 180 days’ notice to leave, ending a 32-year-long relationship in February.
Frankel and Boylston voted against ending the lease.
At their April 5 meeting, commissioners narrowly rejected allowing the nationally known and accredited Boca Raton Museum of Art to handle the Cornell’s operations.
The city will host a charette at 6 p.m. June 23 in the Fieldhouse to gather long-term ideas for the Old School Square campus, which has five venues — including the Fieldhouse and the Cornell — at Atlantic and Swinton avenues.
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