TWO RIVERS (NBC 26) — A small community museum with national reach is facing criticism after multiple artists say their residencies were unexpectedly canceled, raising concerns within the print art community.
Artist Ibé Crawley was set to begin her residency at the Hamilton Wood Type Museum when she received a cancellation notice just one week before it was scheduled to start.
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"Without explanation I was merely told that they were reevaluating their initiatives," Crawley said.
In a video she gave permission to share, Crawley said she reached out to the museum's board for answers.
"And I was told they don't want to speak to me at that time," Crawley said.
Crawley said she went to the museum anyway.
"I went to the Hamilton as a non violent act of direct intervention," Crawley said.
In statements on social media, the museum said they canceled Crawley's and other artists' residencies due to logistical mistakes during a leadership transition, not a change in values, and they apologize for any pain they caused.
But not everyone is satisfied with their response, with some claiming the museum's board is biased against people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
"Seeing how their statements have not really been addressing the issue directly, it's disheartening," said Tony Marostica, owner of Italic Letterpress in Idaho.
Marostica, who runs his own print company, said the museum's leadership needs change.
"They're either inept at running it, in which case they should step aside, or they are leaning their values into the programming in which case they should very much step aside," Marostica said.
Printer Ben Blount said the board's responses have left many confused and frustrated.
"It's terrible. Their first response was logistical mistakes which that doesn't make sense ... their second response was basically blaming the staff," Blount said.
I reached out to the museum board for an interview and was referred to their online statements. The new director takes over September 16, and the board said it will step back from day-to-day decisions.
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